Half Breed
by mscatmoon
Summary: It started when a stranger came to town with a startling new "case" for Mick... secrets revealed and Mick and Beth's lives will never be the same again. And so begins the journey toward their destiny, one twist and turn in the road after another.
1. Revelations

AN: Some of the chapters in this story will be rated MA. It is for mature audiences **only**. Explicit descriptions and adult topics will be included. Adults only.

This universe starts after "The Ringer." It's a/u from there, with some events of subsequent episodes weaving back in as the universe evolves. To best fit the format at this site I've taken what was published as individual stores elsewhere and turned them into chapters instead.

Oh, um and I do NOT own any copyrights nor have I any intention of infringing.

HALF BREED

By Cat Moon

Chapter One:

**Revelations**

_You'd think I would have learned to expect the unexpected, being a PI all these decades. Then again, the first thing they teach you in Dick: 101 is that the simplest explanation is usually the right one. You know, KISS. Occam's razor. Even if my life never exactly adhered to the rules, like everyone else I'm programmed to look at clues in a certain, logical, predictable way. It usually served me well._

_Until one rainy autumn day, when those preconceived notions were shot all to hell. Forevermore._

When the phone rang, the man recognized the number immediately even though it had been years since he'd seen it. His gut tightened; this call would not be good news. He quickly picked up "Yeah."

"It's me."

"What is it?"

"You need to get your hairy butt back here ASAP. The shit is about to hit the fan, my friend."

There would be no further explanation; this wasn't something one discussed over the phone. It was spoken of in person only in hushed tones, with furtive glances around. He knew why his friend had called, only one reason. "I'm leaving now; I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks, J."

Mick's service had made the appointment, a potential client needing help. While he waited for the man to arrive, Mick found himself wishing he would have gotten somebody else's name out of the phone book. Anyone else's. Normally he felt _some_ anticipation at a pending case, but today he just wanted to wallow in his morosity. Or so Josef had accused him the last time they'd spoken. He had accused his friend in return of making up the word. "Yeah, just for you," Josef had replied. "A combination of morose and moron." Josef was refreshingly emotionally detached in most circumstances and Mick admired him for that – though he'd never admit it to his friend. He wasn't Josef though, and he'd been having a _really_ bad time of it lately. Ever since he saw her face…Coraline. No, Morgan. There was no way she was Coraline, they'd established that. He was just going crazy, that's all. Finally losing his thin grasp on reality. Or maybe he'd lost that the night he'd been turned. So it wasn't Coraline and he could feel relieved that it was over.

Maybe a case would take his mind off things. As he let his visitor in, his curiosity perked up a bit after all. The man was middle age, maybe early 40s. He was solidly built, with a hint of gray in his hair that made him look both distinguished and boyish at the same time, and blue eyes that were vaguely familiar and sparkled with life. Which was striking in itself.

Because the man was also a vampire.

"Hey," he began, extending his hand. "I'm Mick St. John."

"Aldo Tillerman." They shook hands, and Mick motioned the man to take a seat by the desk.

As they sat, Mick cocked his head at his visitor. "Do I know you?" Not that all vampires knew each other, hardly. But there _was_ something about this man that had his senses tingling. Not in a bad way necessarily, just…something.

"No, I've lived out of the country for over twenty years, I've just returned. You come with a good reputation."

"Best vampire detective on the West Coast," he quipped.

"The only, I would imagine. You must be a man of unique… talents."

"Maybe. What can I do for you, Aldo?"

"I need you to protect my daughter." He took a photo out of his coat and slid it across the desk. And that's when Mick's little corner of the universe imploded. It was to be only the first of the explosions to rock his world.

The photo was current, taken less than a year ago. And it was Beth.

Mick rarely lost his cool, but this situation warranted an exception. His eyes darted between the photograph and Aldo several times. "That's…she's…you're…"

"My name used to be Aldo Turner."

Cold. His bones were chilled with a heady mix of premonition and confusion. And a strong overwhelming urge to _protect_. It heated the chill away and fired up his blood. "I think you'd better start explaining," he demanded.

Aldo nodded to the bottle of liquor on the table. The one Beth had given him for saving her life, the second time. "Do you imbibe? If so, you may want to pour yourself some."

Acknowledging the truth of that, Mick poured a glass, trying not to notice his hands shook just slightly. He motioned to the bottle hospitably. Aldo shook his head, declining. It was an acquired taste for a vamp, not all of them liked it. He enjoyed the burn. It reminded him of being human.

"So you're Beth's father." He knew her father had supposedly died in a plane crash, about six months before… before. "You know I'm going to check you out, and you'd better be telling me the truth, because if you aren't, I'm going to slice off your head first and ask questions later."

Aldo nodded, seeming to be satisfied with the threat. "What do you sense?" He held out his palm.

Mick mirrored the action, his hand hovering just over the other man's. The flash hit him like a ton of bricks and he reeled back.

_The man and woman locked in passionate embrace. The love so powerful, they could no longer deny themselves or each other. Sweet surrender. "You're my first," the young blond woman whispered. It wasn't about feeding; he was her first lover. "Your only," he growled, swinging her up easily into his arms and starting for the stairs. The man was the same one sitting before him, with not even a minor change in looks._

"What the hell!" What his vampire sense was telling him had to be wrong -- wasn't possible. Again he doubted his sanity.

"Have you ever heard the stories about," Aldo's voice lowered and he glanced reflexively into the shadows of the office, "half breeds?"

"_No_!" Mick surprised both himself and Aldo with the shout. "No, that's just crazy fairy tales. It doesn't – it can't happen. Just a legend."

Aldo shook his head. "Probably most of the 'facts' bandied about are vampire urban legends, but most legends do have a ring of truth in them. It's incredibly rare. Most vampires no nothing of it. The ones who do… we guard this secret as carefully as the one of our own existence. "It's very dangerous to be a half breed."

"Stop using that word!" The phrase cut Mick like a harsh epithet. A curse.

"You think I don't care?" Aldo shouted back. "I love her. She's my daughter. She's part of me."

"Then why'd you leave? Were the hell were you? Do you know what almost happened to her?!"

"I do now." He motioned to the bottle. "I think I'll have some of that after all."

"Help yourself," Mick said, not bothering to be a host.

He did, and refilled Mick's glass as well. That didn't bode well.

"You have to understand," he turned shrewd eyes on Mick. "I think you do. I was trying to protect both of them. I was a vampire in love with a human. We… it was like magic from the moment we first set eyes on each other. I tried to resist, but in the end I… just wanted to be happy. To be with the other half of my soul. "

Mick felt his half- formed hopes and dreams being shattered against the steep cliff he was plunging over. "What does it mean, exactly?" he said, feeling numb.

"She's human, Mick. Alive. She will grow old and die if she isn't turned. I can't say I'm sure of all the facts myself, it's not like I'm an expert. I just had a little girl, a miracle."

"And left her," Mick reminded cruelly.

"I thought she would be safer! By my being in their lives I would attract too much of the wrong kind of attention."

Stay to protect her or leave to protect her. Wasn't that the same war Mick had been fighting for awhile now? So what _was_ the right thing to do?

"I didn't find out until much later that… that vampires can 'sense' a half breed, and are particularly attracted to them even though they don't know why. That's a recipe for all sorts of trouble, you know how undisciplined some of our kind can be."

Made perfect sense of why Beth somehow kept getting caught up in cases involving them. Vampire magnet. And why he was so attracted to her and her to him? He was surprised at the sorrow the idea invoked. Was it nothing more than a case of vampire chemistry?

"Thank you," Aldo said unexpectedly. When Mick looked over at him questioningly, he continued. "For being here for her. Taking care of her."

Mick's lips tightened into a thin line. "Or putting her in the line of fire?"

"If anybody's guilty of that, it's me. "

"Yes you are." But could Mick say he wouldn't have done the same thing in Aldo's place? It wasn't his fault his human wife had gotten pregnant – that wasn't supposed to be physically possible. And what do you do then? Abortion? The thought of Beth, his beautiful, special Beth not existing in the world was another shard of glass in his gut. Should someone be condemned for not being able to kill their unborn child? _Stay or leave_. It came back to that. Aldo had left, and Mick admired the man's strength to walk away. Mick hadn't been able to, even when he believed it to be for the best.

And here they were.

"You need to hear the rest of it, Mick. That's why Coraline chose Beth. Because she was part vampire."

And here Mick had thought his surprises done for the day. But with the name of his ex-wife, all the pieces finally fell into place. Everything now made sense – the whole damn past twenty five years, complete with all the coincidences and connections. Now he understood.

"And that's why your wife came to me for help finding her."

"I don't think she knew a vampire had Beth. I don't know, I was gone by then."

"You never came back again at all?"

"Not till now. When I heard some disturbing things about my daughter's abductor sniffing around again."

Okay, so the shocks just kept coming. Maybe he'd get used to them eventually. "Coraline isn't dead."

"I believe you knew that."

"No," Mick shook his head. "I just thought I was crazy." He looked up again sharply. "She's human. I know, I didn't _smell_ vampire."

"I may not have all the details of what's going on, but I'm certain she's a vampire. There's no magic pill to undo it."

"How do you know?" Mick challenged. After all the bizarre things he'd heard today, he felt gave him carte blanche to believe in the possibility.

"More likely she's found a way to disguise her scent somehow, to give the appearance of human to her kind. That's a skill a lot of vampires would kill to possess. To be honest, Mick, I really don't _care_ at this point. Because if doesn't matter whether she's a vampire or not – if she's hanging around Beth she's not up to any good."

"What the hell _is_ she up to," Mick mused aloud.

"That's what I'm hiring you to find out."

"You don't have to hire me."

"I know. I came because you needed to know the truth about everything."

"Sometimes…" Mick glanced away then back again. "We need to know the truth but it isn't something we want to know."

"Life's a hard road when you live forever."

Mike sat straight up in his chair as if he'd been electrocuted. "What if there _is_ a "cure". What if –"

"Don't' say it!" Aldo commanded. They both stared at each other with equal, horrified expressions.

Once the thoughts started coming, he couldn't take them back no matter how much he wished to. "What if Coraline was – was trying to 'undo' her mistake. To make amends to me by reversing it?" It made a sick kind of sense. He'd never been able to forgive her for turning him, and their marriage had effectively ended the night it began.

"Maybe she got it into her crazy head that Beth was some kind of miracle cure," Aldo acknowledged reluctantly. "There are a _lot_ of crazy rumors out there about HB's. But I don't believe that."

"What matters is what Coraline believes."

_Or maybe she's already found a cure, and needs more…donors._

"You know her very well; does she seem like a vampire that wants to be human again? Most don't."

"I wouldn't have thought so before. Now… I don't know if I know anything."

Then sat in silence for awhile, each man trying to process the difficult meeting they'd just had. Finally Aldo leaned rose. "Well, I should get going. I'll be in touch."

"Wait a minute," Mick stopped him. "Are you going to… see her?"

"You mean in person, talk to her?"

Mick nodded. "She's your daughter, and she needs to know the truth. You should go see her. " He paused. "She knows about _us_. Our kind."

"I know. I did my homework before I came here. So I know you'll tell her what she needs to know."

Mick started to protest but Aldo stopped him with a raised hand. "Maybe later, when—if she's ready to see me. I'll stay close. This time."

"Okay," Mick accepted.

Aldo stopped at the door and turned. "Mick, I'm glad you've been here to protect Beth all these years. I _approve_."

_You do? Because I don't know if __**I**__ do._

"Just like any father, I want my girl to be happy. To have someone who loves her and will cherish her." Mick shook his head, denial on his lips. Aldo grabbed his upper arms tightly. "Don't you see? You are the only man in this whole world who can do that!" he said fiercely. "You're the only one I'd trust her with. You can't desert her."

"I would never desert her," Mick whispered the truth he finally admitted to himself.

"She needs you."

"I need her." This was so much like meeting the future father-in-law it was laughable, if a high pitched hysterical, they're-coming-to-take-me-away laugh qualified.

"If you need to hear this – it's not the vamp/HB attraction that you're responding to."

"How do you know?" Hope, born again. Tenacious little sucker. Hah, no pun intended. Cracking up seemed like a viable option after all. This was way TMI, even for a normally pretty controlled vampire to handle in one, rainy day.

"I've seen the way you two look at each other." Mick stared at him helplessly. "And I see the look in your eyes right now. I recognize it – because it's the same way I used to look at my wife. You won't make the same mistake I did."

Permission? Could it be true? It was _right_ they were meant to be together? Just two people (albeit 2 unusual people) in love? Right, not a curse?

In a move that was so unlike him it stunned him anew, he impulsively hugged Aldo. Yep. Definitely time for the cracker farm. Well, really, it was to be expected. How much could one vampire take??

Absolution? Priest confessor? Maybe that's what they were to each other, Aldo and Mick. Two sides of the same coin. Both loving Beth and trying to protect her, each in his own way.

_Please god, let it be true. Let it be okay_. To be happy, for the first time. Praying to a God he didn't believe in anymore didn't seem any stranger than anything else he'd heard today. He wasn't sure he'd ever be truly surprised by anything ever again.

Of course they still had to figure out what Coraline's game was and neutralize her. But like Beth said – they made a good team.

"You have my number, keep me informed," Aldo said, businesslike again as he took his leave. "I'll be here. This time."

Mick nodded agreement. "Goodbye Aldo."

"Hey Mick," Aldo winked at him, eyes so much like Beth's twinkling. "Call me dad."

Mick stood staring at the empty hallway long after Aldo was gone. Finally, he turned and went back inside to call Beth.

And invite her over.

**End of Chapter One: Revelations**


	2. Irony

(AN: remember, this story was written after "The Ringer." It veers off canon from there.)

Chapter Two:

**Irony  
**

_"Irony is a disciplinarian feared only by those who do not know it, but cherished by those who do. He who does not understand irony and has no ear for its whispering lacks of what might called the absolute beginning of the personal life. He lacks what at moments is indispensable for the personal life, lacks both the regeneration and rejuvenation, the cleaning baptism of irony that redeems the soul from having its life in finitude though living boldly and energetically in finitude." - Soren Kierkegaard_

_XXX_

_I never thought too much about why things happen before. Pre-destination, fate, it all seemed a bit too romantic for me. Somehow I missed the fact that my life is apparently one huge coincidence – and there's no such thing as coincidence. Did I ever wonder, why me? Why did Coraline pick me to turn into a vampire? Nah, I just figured it was my own fault for chasing after her like a dog in heat. I made my bed… and I was killed in it. Then came Beth, and I was unable to deny the connection between us, even if I didn't understand it. I still don't. _

_Right now, I have more questions than answers. And every answer I get brings with it three more questions. At this rate, I'm going to be buried in an avalanche of questions. Yet all I can do is grab a shovel and start digging. I have to wonder though, am I digging myself out, or burying myself?_

_XXX_

The first difference was that he sat on the couch next to her, instead of taking his usual chair. That move earned him raised eyebrows. Undoubtedly she could tell from the moment he opened the door that something was wrong. Maybe something she read in his face, maybe just the bond they shared tipping her off.

"What's wrong, Mick?" she asked with her typical directness.

"I have something I need to talk to you about."

"I know, you said that on the phone."

"I don't know quite how to tell you," he admitted.

"Just say it right out. Preferably now."

Mick couldn't help the flicker of a smile at her impatience; it was so Beth. He decided to start the way Aldo had. "A man came into my office today and hired me to protect his daughter."

"Okaaay," she said when he didn't elaborate.

It turned out to be not so difficult after all. They'd always been honest with each other, about facts, at least. Feelings, they were another matter entirely. He found it easy to tell her things he'd never told another human, and he wasn't one for beating around the bush_. Straight to the point_. And she usually took it remarkably well, all things considered. He could only hope this time would be no exception.

"His name is Aldo Turner." He passed her a photo; it was a shot he'd pulled from the security camera outside the door. A bit grainy, but clear enough.

Beth stared at the picture in shock. "My father's dead," she replied, but the way she was looking at the man said otherwise.

Now for the next part, even harder than telling her about himself had been. "No. He's a vampire."

She jumped off the couch, hand going to her mouth. "What the hell's going on here?!" she stared at him accusingly. Maybe even she had a limit on coincidence.

It was time to hide behind the cold facts, and close down on the emotion. "Truthfully, I wish I knew. I can tell you your father came here to let me know you're in danger. From Coraline."

She started pacing. "My father's a vampire, and he came to tell you that your ex-wife is after me. Does that sound insane to you, 'cause I gotta tell you, it sounds insane to me. What, she's jealous or something? And by the way, she's supposed to be dead."

"Or something," he agreed. "I was right about Morgan, it is Coraline."

"How?"

He shrugged helplessly. "That's one of the many things I haven't figured out yet. Maybe she's found some way to…mask herself from other vampires, to appear human." That was Aldo's theory, anyway.

"You haven't told me why she's after me."

Mick stood too, going over to the window to gaze out at the city. "You remember I told you I killed her?"

"Hard to forget."

"And you know that when you were young you were abducted…by a woman."

The comprehension dawned. "Oh my god – it was her?" He nodded. "And you were going to tell me this when?"

"Soon." He continued impatiently. "You know I don't keep things from you. I'd just rather not dump everything on you at once. Unfortunately this time I don't have a choice."

"You mean there's more?"

"Just a couple dozen," he quipped.

"Okay, let's take this one at a time," she said enunciating slowly and carefully to make her point. "Why did Coraline take me?"

A lot of nasty secrets were coming out tonight. Despite his earlier optimism, he had to wonder if she'd finally hate him, by the end of it. "Because of me. She wanted… I didn't want anything to do with her; she was trying to get me back. She had some sick idea in her head that we could be a family, the three of us. She wanted to turn you." He looked directly at Beth. "So I killed her."

Beth sat down again, abruptly. "Okay," she took a deep breath as if shoring herself up. "So she's after me now, why?"

"To make my life miserable, but that might just be a pleasant side effect for her. I don't really know for sure. I promise you I'm going to find out."

Beth picked up the picture that had fallen on the table and stared at it. "I thought he died in a plane crash. Is that when he…"

"I don't know when he was turned, but it was before that. Beth, he left to protect you."

"Protect me?" she turned liquid eyes on him and almost broke his heart. In that instant he was grateful he hadn't done the same thing. "All those years, growing up without a dad. And my mother never got over losing him—" She looked a question at him.

Mick sat back down next to her. "He let you both believe he'd died in that crash, because he was afraid that his presence in your life would be dangerous to you. Because of what he is. But your mother knew he was a vampire."

"I don't understand," she said, and it was the first time in very many years he'd heard that voice. It was the voice of a scared little girl he'd rescued.

He covered her hand with his own. It was a move each of them had often done in their short friendship, a little touch that conveyed so much. "He was a vampire when they got married."

"Then… he's not my real father." Now she just sounded confused – and a bit pissy.

"Apparently, he is."

"Excuse me?"

Mick sighed. "There are rumors among vampires about a rare occurrence. Vampires and humans having a baby. Turns out there's truth to it after all."

"That means I'm--"

"Part vampire."

She made a disagreeing face. "How can that be? I don't feel like a vampire – at least if my experimentation with B.C. is any judge. I enjoy food, and I have no desire whatsoever to drink blood. And since I saw a few more lines in the mirror this morning I'd say I'm getting older."

He patted her face. "The lines are your imagination, you're gorgeous. And I don't know what it means, not really. Just that it's very rare, and it could be why Coraline took you. And/or why she's after you."

"Wait a minute; it's you she's gaslighting. There's been no indication of her wanting to do anything with me."

"Don't underestimate her. She's been watching you for awhile now. For months she's been working for Buzz Wire, and developing herself a presence. Then she arranged a meeting."

Beth pierced him with her gaze. "Is that what you did?"

_Perceptive_. She was making unexpected connections, asking tough questions – and not the ones he thought she would. He shook his head. Spread his hands out placating. "Okay, yes I checked up on you, once in awhile, just to make sure you were okay." So this was to be his first outright lie to her. "But when we met at the crime scene – hey, I didn't tell you to get into crime reporting, and I sure didn't get you assigned to that story."

"Okay," she said, accepting that. "And shortly after that, Coraline starts working for Buzz Wire under an alias. So she was watching you? And then me? No, that doesn't sound right. She must have known who I was even before. Then when you contacted me, she took up her alias. "

He always enjoyed seeing her reporter mind at work, even under present circumstances. The way she could look at even a personal situation, with shrewd objectivity. She was amazing. _Maybe you're just…biased_, a little voice whispered to him. He ignored it.

"So she was watching both of us." Beth shivered, glanced around. "Not exactly a warm and fuzzy feeling. But I still don't understand why. I mean, okay, so she took me when I was a child, but I'm all grown up now. And she couldn't have known you and I would--Maybe she just wanted to recreate the whole story again? Have it turn out differently this time, the way she wanted it?"

Mick nodded, accepting the possibility. Basically, just letting her run with it.

"No, that doesn't make any sense either. I mean, I'm an adult. She can't want us to be a _family_," she made a face, as if she'd bitten into a lemon.

Mick grinned. He agreed it was a disquieting thought, considering his feelings for her now, that she had been intended to be his daughter. "Keep in mind, she is crazy. Sense may not come into it."

"I suppose you're right. How did my—"Her hesitation revealed that despite her composed demeanor, the issue of her father was bothering her the most. "How did my father know about all this?"

"No clue."

"What, you didn't ask him?!" she sounded offended.

"He said he heard… "She gave him a look. "Hey, I was having a bad week to begin with, then he walks in and throws all these soap opera bombshells on me, cut me some slack. I'll find out."

Mick didn't like the way she was looking at him now, kind of disappointed, like he'd dropped a bit in her high estimation of him. "If he doesn't want to tell me how he found out, he won't," he snapped. "I assume he has some connections."

"Maybe he's working for her," Beth's face closed down tight.

"No, that's not part of her game," Mick said gently, taking her hand in both of his this time.

"Whatever," she said sounding like she was trying to not care.

"Hey, whatever's going on, we will find out, together. We make a good team, remember?"

That got a small smile out of her, as was his intent.

"There's one other possibility I have to share with you, even if it's remote."

"What?" Beth asked, wary again.

"That she's not 'hiding' anything. That she is human."

"What--you mean she found a, cure or something?"

"She bled. She didn't heal. She doesn't smell like a vampire, and believe me to another vamp it's a smell you don't mistake. How the hell could she do that?"

They were both silent for a bit, pondering the puzzle.

Beth spoke first, hesitantly. "If she found a cure, what's she doing here?"

"Taunting me with it. Or taunting me by pretending to have one, because she knows – she knows all my weak spots." Knows how much he hates what he is, and that he'd give almost anything to change it.

"And how to use them against you?"

Mick nodded. Somehow he knew it was understood that one of those weak spots was Beth.

"And you know how, with contagions, there's a patient zero. And you can use the blood of someone immune to create-- "He stopped right in the middle of what he'd been saying, a vision of that desert hotel bathroom in his mind's eye. Knowing what he should have noticed at the time, how he should have needed so much more blood than that to recover, considering how close to death he'd been…

Wouldn't that be the ultimate irony of his life? The thing he wanted most, at a price he could never pay.

"Mick?" Beth questioned when he was silent for too long.

"You need to dig deeper into Morgan's background. Especially her parents' backgrounds."

"Give me your computer and a phone," she replied immediately, sounding happy to have something productive to do.

Mick was glad she hadn't asked him why he wanted the parents checked out. He preferred to keep this particular theory to himself for the time being. That Morgan might have been an H.B. If they were the 'cure' he had a feeling the donors didn't fare well. Like the vampires Lola had used to make black crystal. Kill Morgan for her blood cure and assume her identity, then come after Mick and Beth.

Mick had a vision of guarding Beth for the rest of her life, from vampires wanting to be cured. On the other hand, how many wanted that? From his experience most were happy with what they were and wouldn't be interested in changing. He was an exception. Aldo had asked him if Coraline seemed like the type to want that, and he said no. But if the payoff was great enough – destroying Mick's life, maybe she would. And once human, could she have someone turn her again after she was done? Or did she think they would both, as humans, live happily ever after for the next sixty years? It was a sick twisted puzzle he was trying to piece together. Just like Coraline.

The hope born from Aldo's words was fading with the return of reality, and he felt depression settling in his bones. What kind of fate was waiting for Beth? He wanted to believe she could still have a normal life. That was his greatest wish for her; to be happy and healthy, and live a long mortal life with someone who loved her and could give her a family. It would make everything he'd done and gone thorough worthwhile. Fulfill the promise he'd made when he saved her all those years ago. Conversely, his greatest wish was also the one thing that would nearly kill him to do. Give her up.

"What am I looking for?" Beth asked, oblivious to the direction of his thoughts.

"Anything out of the ordinary."

"Let's get started."

XXX

The only sounds in the apartment for the next several hours were the clicking of computer keys, occasional brief telephone call to contacts; the printer humming to life, printing out page after page of information. In the interest of time and efficiency, Beth left it to Mick to read through the stuff she was pulling up, looking for answers.

Every now and then she would glance down at the picture lying next to the monitor. _Not ready to go there, yet._ With all the crap she let Mick get away with, she knew she should at least try to understand her father's actions. She did, to a point…but the empty space that had been in her life, the grieving she had done under false pretenses, those were hard to brush away.

Mick came over with some coffee, set it on the desk in front of her. Thinking he'd go back into the other room, she was stunned when he moved to stand behind her and began kneading her shoulders. She leaned back into the touch, groaning appreciatively. It was a bold move, for Mick. She wondered what it meant.

"Thanks." She looked up at him and their gazes locked. The connection flared between them.

"Why don't you take a break?" he suggested.

Was that innuendo in his voice? No, couldn't be. _No way_. Sometimes when she was around him, she found it difficult judging reality from fantasy. Or so she told herself.

Grabbing her coffee mug, she followed him into the living room. Papers were spread over the table; she cleared a spot to put the coffee down and sat. "So what do we know so far," she asked gesturing to the papers.

"We know Morgan is really Coraline, and she's been watching us for months. She's trying to psych me out with some unknown agenda.

"And it's working really well," Beth added.

"Not anymore," he denied.

She shrugged. "So you say."

"You know, when I said take a break, I meant a _break_."

"Okay, okay, taking a break." She settled more comfortably into the cushions, sipping at her drink. She'd rather be focusing on the investigation, didn't particularly want time for her mind to drift to things she wasn't ready to deal with yet. Her mind trying to find something else to pay attention to, she idly watched Mick watching her. Wasn't there some saying about idle minds? The moments passed, too many to be appropriate for casual acquaintances.

_Making eyes at each other, my grandmother would have called it._ "What is that saying, something about idle minds?" she asked. Idly.

"An idle mind knows not what it wants?" she frowned questioningly. "Ennius," he explained.

Beth shook her head. "No, my mind knows what it wants. An idle mind is the devil's playground."

"Are you trying to get out of taking a break?"

She leaned her head back against the couch, to more easily look up at him. "No." She was content, for now, just to study his eyes. In fact, she thought perhaps she could stare into them for hours and not get bored.

Or, until he shifted uncomfortably and pretended to study the papers on the table. She thought of reminding him they weren't supposed to be "working", but there was something else on her mind, much more important.

"I need to ask you a big favor," She began, her mind working even as she was forming the words.

"Uh oh, a favor, huh?" He was smiling again though.

"While we're looking into this, I mean at least for tonight. Can I stay here?" His smile, she noted, vanished from his face at warp speed. "To be honest, I'm kinda freaked out by this whole stalking thing. If I go home alone I'm going to be paranoid, convinced I'm being watching. I mean, who knows what she's up to?"

"You're right, it's safer here."

"That's what I was thinking." She looked at him pointedly. "I've always been safe with you."

Even as she said the words, a thread of unease wound its way through her though. She hated that, hated doubting Mick after having felt security from the moment they met. Still, the memory of Mick telling her about his intense feelings for Coraline was too fresh in her mind. How he'd acted with 'Morgan'. Crazy wasn't too far from the truth. What would a confrontation be like now? Now that there was no little child to protect, would he be able to resist her lure? Beth silently added one weak spot to Mick's list: Coraline. Not in the same way, but it was obvious she still had a hold on him. The jealousy this train of thought brought her wasn't really a surprise. She'd felt it before. And for far less reason.

"What about Josh?"

The mention of her boyfriend was an unwelcome addition to the things on her mind. "He's out of town on business." That exchange didn't come out right, sounded like… well, something it wasn't. Or maybe it sounded too much like the truth. At that moment she cursed herself for not having the guts to end it with Josh. She knew how this made her look, but she hadn't been cheating on Josh. Not really. The reality was a lot more complicated. Half the time she was convinced Mick felt the same way she did, the other half that it was her imagination, wishful thinking. If she hadn't met Mick, she would never have considered breaking up with Josh. They'd had a good relationship…until now.

Now, all she could think about was Mick.

In the deepest darkest recesses of herself she'd known what she wanted, but was unable to admit to it, for many reasons. Not the least of it was the conflicting signals she'd been getting from Mick…

_Don't lie to yourself. It's not just Mick. You know how he feels. Just admit it_. It wasn't a thought, but a little voice inside her. Sounded like the one who had tempted her in the mirror the night of her experimentation with BC. Hell, everyone could see their connection, even strangers. Some days she felt if one more person commented on how she and Mick looked at each other, or how obvious it was, she'd strangle them. All both of them ever did was deny.

Now, Coraline was back, planning something nasty. Beth's gut instincts told her it was time to stop pretending. There was a knowing inside her, that voice telling her what needed to be done. She wanted to deny that too, but both their lives might depend on acknowledging it. Mick was going to have to go up against Coraline again. Did he have as good a reason as last time, to resist her?

_She wants to destroy what you have_, the voice said.

'_What do we have'_? Beth asked it desperately.

_Her hold over him is strong. You need to break it. Replace it._

Beth reviewed her possibilities. She might be going crazy. Or maybe she was having a flashback from the BC. Or maybe it was some weird 'ability' that half-vampires had. Some kind of inner instinct, or precognitive sense? She chose to go with the one that was most comforting for the time being.

She tried to remain calm, be open to the 'voice'. _'How do I replace it'_?

_Replace her darkness with your light. Give him something to hold onto._

_Huh_?

_Consummate the bond._

When Beth was next aware, she was staring straight ahead, mouth open. Mick was touching her hand, calling her name with a combination of amusement and worry on his beautiful face. "Hey," he began, seeing she was back with him, "you really spaced out there."

She took firmer possession of his hand, so he couldn't let go this time. "Sorry, just thinking." His eyebrow rose skeptically. "Very hard."

"Of course you were."

What had they been talking about? She frantically scrambled to remember the conversation. Oh, Josh. God only knew where Mick thought her mind had been. She could feel the slight tension in his hand, knew if she let him he'd be breaking the contact. She didn't let him.

There was no more time for stalling. It was fish or cut bait, as her…father…always used to say.

However, when you were talking about seducing Mick St. John, it was easier said than done.

She was painfully and embarrassingly aware of her recent attempt via black crystal. If she came on too strong, it would only scare him off. And she wasn't the manipulative type, seduction wasn't her style. She'd have liked to just come right out and say it, but that lacked romance, and wouldn't be very persuasive.

She sighed, frustrated.

"What is it?"

"Truth?" he nodded. "I'm in love with you." She watched his mouth drop open in shock. "And I don't know what to do about it."

Wow. Turned out she went the direct route after all. She didn't know who was more surprised, her or Mick.

"What, uh. What do you want to do about it?" he finally managed.

She looked up at him, opening her mouth to speak but not knowing what to say. _I want to be close to you. _But that too was an echo of what she'd said on the drug. She couldn't say it now even though it was true. She wanted so many things; she couldn't even begin to know how to verbalize them.

"You can't deny the universe seems determined to make sure we're together. I know you feel the connection too. Admit it!"

"I feel it." Somehow she knew he was thinking that connections weren't necessarily good things; the only other one he had to compare it to was his with Coraline. She had to show him the difference.

_Show, don't tell._

A bit of inspiration came to her. She released his hand. "Hold your hands out, palms up," she instructed. He gave her a questioning look, but did as told. "Okay." She placed her hands over his, palm down, close but not touching. The way the vampire wannabe professor had explained pranic energy to her. "Close your eyes." A wary expression entered them, but he did as told. "Take a deep breath, and just relax," she said quietly. "Concentrate on the energy. Do you feel it?" she whispered, almost surprised to find her hands were tingling, like little shocks of electricity shooting through them. She'd felt nothing but silly when the professor was doing it.

She snuck a peek, saw Mick's Adam's apple working and knew he felt it too. She reached out and put one hand against his chest. Taking his and placing it over her heart in the mirror position. "We're connected. Can you feel it?"

There was little space between them, their bodies swayed close to each other. It looked like the moment was going to be all she could've hoped for. Mick spoke, his cheek almost touching hers…

"Did the women in Professor Ellis' class really fall for that line?" he asked with grin in his voice, breaking the spell.

"You asshole!" she scolded, embarrassed, and he was laughing outright, but his hand was still on her, and they were still close. As if they were magnetically attracted, couldn't move away. "Thanks for letting me make a fool out of myself."

He shook his head. "I'm the only fool here." And then his hand was sliding up past the place where the blouse covered, to the side of her neck, touching the bare skin there. She shivered, wondering that a simple touch could be so thrilling. She could almost feel his fingerprints making their mark on her skin. She held her breath, willing him to cross that line. Hoping through their connection she could tip the scales in her favor.

"Do I have the right to take away your chance to have a normal life?" his voice whispered close to her ear, sounding like he was in a confessional.

"I don't want 'normal'. You told me you trusted me. Trust me now, Mick. You're my destiny; I feel it with every fiber of my being. We belong together. I know you feel it too. Can you take that chance away from me?"

His face was so close to hers, it was an easy thing to turn slightly, find his mouth close too, and press a kiss at the corner. Her bold tongue snuck out for just a slight taste of his skin. She felt his entire body shiver.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Then don't reject me." She was so connected to him now she could literally feel his inner struggle. The words she spoke felt true, but alien, as if someone else was saying these things. "I was made for _you_."

She just had time to note the surge in his emotions before his lips where – finally – covering hers in a real kiss. Not like the kiss in the parking lot. This kiss was full of promise, love, and heat. And it was only the first. Somewhere amidst the kissing, she had a moment to wonder why the hell they hadn't done this before, and then was distracted by his wandering hands. She could feel them shaking, and that almost broke her heart.

"It's okay," she murmured. She slipped her hands inside his shirt, unable to resist touching his skin. It was a feast for the senses, and she felt like the black crystal was running through her veins again.

"Beth," he murmured between kisses, "are you sure? _Are you sure_?"

Good god! Every molecule of her body sang where he touched her and she was about to melt into a puddle on the couch, and he was asking stupid questions!

"Do you love me?" she countered.

"More than my life."

"Then show me, dammit!"

She felt his smile through the kisses. "Pushy," he managed without stopping. Then he was the one pushing her back against the cushions. _Now that's more like it_, she thought happily, as his hands started exploring new territory.

_Make him declare his allegiance_, the voice, returned, told her. She wasn't sure she liked the tone or the implications, but she had made her choice to trust it.

"I need to know you want me, not _her_."

He moved away from her and gave her a long look. She would have liked to turn away, but forced herself not to. She had just a moment to panic when he rose from the couch, but it was short lived because he took her hand and pulled her up with him. Then he wound his arms around her and kissed her again.

"You're mine," he said as if the news startled him. "You're mine."

"Yes. And you're mine. Not hers."

"I'll always be yours," he promised. "You have my soul. You always have. Coraline stole it, and you got it back for me." And it was probably the most honest and truest thing he'd ever said to her.

Then they were melting into one other, as if their bodies couldn't get enough, they had to be touching. The long kisses got shorter, just so the clothing could start coming off, piece by piece. At the same time, he was leading her slowly towards the stairs.

_Sounds like a plan_, she thought giddily.

He was talking again, in between kissing and undressing her. She loved a man who could multi-task. "No biting, and no nails," he instructed in a voice roughened with passion.

She found herself moaning, not sure if it was assent or not, but it seemed good enough for Mick.

Sex with a vampire. She wasn't sure what to expect. Didn't care, really. Even if it involved blood. He'd be upset to know that she was so unconcerned about what she was getting into, but it was the truth. This was Mick, and whatever they did together was going to be all right with her. He was so noble she just wanted to smack him sometimes. A big part of what she loved about him, but a bit infuriating none the less.

In the end, it turned out to be as simple as two people in love, making love. He was gentle and tender; she did her best to replace his memories of being with Coraline, wanting that place inside him filled with her, not his ex. As she felt him deep inside of her, she knew they could no longer be torn apart.

Together now at last, in every way, they were unbeatable.

Coraline didn't stand a chance.

**end chapter two: Irony  
**

Quote from Quintus Ennius (239-169 BC). A writer during the period of the Roman Republic, and is often considered the father of Roman poetry. He was of Greek descent. Although only fragments of his works survive, his influence in Latin literature was significant.


	3. Salvation

AN: It's Josef's turn, and boy does he have some 'spaining to do!

Just a reminder that this story is rated MA for a reason. Some chapters will deal with adult topics like sex and violence.

Chapter three:

**Salvation**

By Cat Moon

_The cynical among us don't believe in miracles. Even when faced with one, we can easily come up with all sorts of rational explanations. I used to think I was the king of cynics (well, next to Josef that is), but lately I've had to revise that opinion of myself. Holding Beth in my arms, making love to her… coming face to face with my own miracle, I can no longer doubt their existence._

_I figure this is either the beginning of my salvation, or my final damnation._

_XXX_

It was early in the morning. Mick had managed to grab a couple of hours in the freezer, so he was feeling relatively rested despite it being a time of day vampires normally didn't much care for. It was one of the perks of being a vamp he actually didn't mind; unlike humans they didn't need the standard six to eight hours of sleep every night. Two or three was enough – provided it was in the freezer. It gave him more flexibility to associate with the humans during the day, and also roam the night as was his preference.

It was with yet another jolt of wonder that he had taken in Beth's whispered words just before she drifted off to sleep…

_In my arms._

"_It's okay if you need to go get some sleep in the freezer," she'd told him._

Would she ever stop amazing him with her genuine acceptance, her unconditional love? Just when he thought she couldn't surprise him anymore, she found a way.

Morning routine for a vampire was a bit different from a human's, but it still involved things like showering, dressing, getting _breakfast_. Mick had just left the freezer and was contemplating whether he was in the mood for 'decaf' or 'regular' (glass or needle) when he heard the noise downstairs. He was a bit annoyed but not alarmed, as he knew the visitor. He came down the stairs to meet Josef in the living room.

His friend was pointedly holding up a piece of the clothing that was strewn about the floor. And giving Mick _that _look, the infuriating, knowing one he'd perfected.

"Very nice," he said drolly, eyes taking in Mick's attire of a pair of pajama bottoms. "Modesty after debauchery. It's so _you_."

Mick wasn't sure why, but he felt embarrassed at being 'caught' so to speak. "You know, when I asked you to come over, I didn't mean _this_ early."

"What, and miss this?" he picked up another piece, this time Beth's blouse. "Not on your life."

"No lectures," Mick hissed, snatching the garment.

At that moment Beth started down, dressed in just his shirt. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't help the possessive look he knew was on his face. There was something about seeing her wearing _his_ shirt that stirred intense feelings in him, had even before they were lovers.

_We're lovers_. Delighted and amazed at the thought, he grinned goofily. Josef of course, missed nothing, his shrewd eyes taking in every minute detail. Mick didn't bother to wonder what he was thinking; knew he'd find out soon enough.

Beth met him at the bottom and unselfconsciously kissed him on the lips. "Morning," she purred, then looked at the other vampire. "Good morning, Josef."

"Nice to see you again, Beth." He wiggled his eyebrows at Mick behind her back, as she headed for the kitchen. Mick pointed a warning finger at him.

Mick hastily gathered up the abandoned clothing and deposited it on the chair. Then they both trailed Beth to the kitchen, where she had started coffee and was taking some fruit out of the refrigerator.

"I've always wanted to ask you why you keep fruit in the kitchen," she said, biting into an apple. "Or maybe I don't want to know," she revised, but her eyes were twinkling at him.

"There's something you don't want to know?!" he asked in mock astonishment… that turned into the real thing when she oh-so-casually got out the blood, poured it into a glass and handed it to him. He opened his mouth to protest.

She gave him a _look_ of her own. "Get over it." She turned to Josef. "Can I offer you something?"

Faster than lightning, Mick had moved himself between them, holding up his hands a little wildly. "_No_! He doesn't need anything, he's fine."

Beth looked confused; Josef did something Mick didn't ever remember him doing: he laughed outright, loudly. Her confusion faded into embarrassment when she realized how her "offer" could sound to a vampire. Then it turned to a ruefully amused look that she shared with Josef.

"Who _are_ you?" Mick asked her.

She was still smiling as she met his eyes, but the emotion there was so strong he could hear it as clearly as spoken words. _Your soul mate. _

Josef was still watching everything, a bit too intently for Mick's comfort. "I assume there's a reason you called me here?"

"Uh, yeah," Mick answered, turning back to Beth. "Why don't you go upstairs and get dressed, then we can sit down and talk."

"Okay, be right back." She gathered up the clothing Mick had placed on the chair and went upstairs.

There was a moment of silence that Mick knew would be short lived.

"That one rushes in where angels fear to tread, doesn't she?" Josef commented.

"You have _no_ idea," Mick told him with feeling.

His voice hardened. "Give her an education."

"I am."

"She needs a crash course."

"I know that."

XXX

"Okay, _Nick and Nora_, what's this about?" Josef quipped when they were all seated in the living room a short time later.

"It's about Coraline," Mick told him without preamble.

"Don't tell me you're still obsessed with her," he said, pointedly glancing at Beth.

"No, but she's still obsessed with me."

Beth picked up the conversation. "We have proof that Morgan _is_ Coraline. She's back, and we need to find out what her agenda is."

"Destroying Mick. And if anyone can do it, she can."

"I don't intend to let that happen," Beth told him, with a hint of steel in her voice.

"Wait a minute…" Mick began. Something in Josef's tone had set off alarms in his mind. "You're not protesting at all, for a man who _insisted_ Morgan couldn't be her?"

"Well, if you have proof, you have proof." His voice though, was totally unconvincing.

Mick shook his head. "What aren't you telling me, Josef?" His own voice held more than a hint of menace.

The older vampire took a deep breath, then swallowed. "I know," he said quietly but clearly. "I knew."

Mick felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. He started to rise, but Beth's hand on his arm stopped him. "You set me up!"

"It wasn't like that," he denied.

"Then tell me how it was!"

"What was I supposed to do? No offense, but you were _way_ off your game, my friend. Out of your head. I've _seen_ you with her, too many times, remember? All right, you want honesty? I thought you'd screw it up!"

"So you called my—Aldo, because you figured he's the only other person qualified to handle things," Beth interjected, taking one of the giant leaps of deduction that made her an excellent investigative reporter. They both looked at her in surprise. "What? Aldo said he 'heard' about Coraline, Josef admitted knowing, just two plus two."

"Don't overestimate him, Beth, he was just out to protect his own ass," Mick said, still reeling from his friend's betrayal.

"Oh, that's nice."

"Stop it, both of you!" She gave Mick a significant look. "Sometimes the people who care about us keep things from us for awhile, for our own good. Sucks to be on the other side, doesn't it? No pun intended."

Mick got up and walked away from them. Even with the tinted glass it was too bright to be staring out the window, so he found the view of his bookcase fascinating instead. And Beth wondered why he longed to have a _normal_ life? _It's a giant thrill ride that never ends._ But not in a good way.

"I didn't know it was Coraline until I saw her in person… even then, I couldn't believe it. Then I started thinking about the rumors, and I started wondering… I've known Aldo for a hundred years." Beth's eyes widened at that. "I knew Beth was a half breed."

Mick turned to give him glare at the term used, that if looks could really kill would have finished him on the spot. "You're a bastard," he said, as if he was convinced of it but still couldn't quite believe it.

Josef jumped up. "I'm your _friend_!"

"Is that what you call it?" Mick sneered at him, feeling his vampire side coming closer to the surface. The fact that this was Josef causing it stabbed at him like a knife. Josef of course, would be completely composed, right up until the time he ripped Mick's throat out.

"Let him explain," Beth implored.

Mick sat down beside her again, folding his arms across his chest. "Oh, he has a _lot_ of 'splaining to do."

"You can be pissed at me all you want, _Lucy_, but I made a judgment call. And I still believe it was the right one."

"Okay, I got the Lucy/Ricky reference, but I have no idea who Nick and Nora are?" Beth said.

They both glared at her.

She held up her hands in surrender, and settled back into the cushions of the couch. "Okay, I'll just sit here and let you two fight it out. I'll referee."

"Okay, let's start at the beginning, Josef. You knew who (_read: what_) Beth was all along. You kept that info from me, why?"

Josef met his eyes candidly. "Same reasons I warned you to stay away from her. I was hoping it would never come to this. You put yourself – Beth – and all of us, in danger when you started sniffing around her like a dog in heat."

Mick would have leap up off the couch if Beth hadn't all but sat on him to restrain him. Too much truth in Josef's words, guilt fueled his anger and turned it outwards.

"Stop baiting him!" Beth yelled at Josef.

"I'm not, I'm just telling it like it is," he returned.

"It's not like that," Mick snarled, "and I'm so fucking sorry for you that you're too jaded and out of touch with humanity to ever experience this kind of love for yourself!"

"So dramatic," Josef muttered, but low, obviously not wanting to provoke Mick further after all.

Beth did some more glaring of her own at Josef. "The thing you didn't realize is the extent of the connection between me and Mick. It wasn't him entering my life that was the catalyst. _I_ am. His being in my life is what will save us all."

"You don't even know _why_ you're the catalyst, do you?" Josef inquired.

Mick abruptly slumped back into the couch, all the fight leaving him in a rush, leaving him feeling weak. What was the point? Life did whatever it damn well pleased, no matter how he tried to keep things from imploding.

"It's because I'm a…a half breed. Right?"

"Listen, Beth, I'm gonna give it to you straight out, because that's my style and I'm not gonna sugar coat anything. You ready for it?"

"Bring it on," she responded.

"Good." He nodded his head in approval. "Half breed's hold a certain…attraction for some vampires. It's in the blood. Most of them don't even know why, since the very existence of HB's is pretty much accepted as a vampire urban legend. We try to keep it that way, to protect them. "

"Protect them from what?"

"Lots of things," he hedged. "And if you've been wondering why Coraline chose you to kidnap, that's probably why. Out of all the children on the playground, it's you she would have been most drawn to, without knowing why."

Mick listened to them talk, his eyes closed in defeat. Now she would figure out what he'd been terrified of since talking to Aldo; that their connection was nothing more than vampire chemistry. Not real. _So much for my miracle_, he thought, knowing that he'd still protect her till the end of time if necessary.

"This…connection. Does it include feeling like you've known them forever, and sensing each other's presence and feelings, and hearing voices?"

"No," he answered, surprise coloring his voice.

Mick finally opened his eyes again, lifting his head to look at her. "Voices?"

"I figured, Coraline is dead, Aldo's gone, and life goes back to normal and _all_ our secrets are safe. Mick still keeps tabs on you, okay, no big deal. Maybe even a good idea, all things considered. Then he starts…_dating_ you," he phrased the sentence carefully, with a wry twist to his mouth. "Big problem. Then the presumed dead Coraline shows up, bigger problem. That's way too much attention to things that should be left alone."

"What if Coraline knew why, back then too?" Mick asked him.

"Doubtful. She never would've stayed away this long."

"So what's so special about us? I mean, besides the extra attraction? Do we taste better or something?" She looked at Mick, who almost groaned.

"Do they?" Josef asked Mick.

"Don't you know?" Mick countered.

"No, or I wouldn't be asking."

"I'm missing something here," Beth said looking between the two of them.

"Morgan Vincent. Does that ring any bells for you?" Mick asked.

"Vincent… let me make a quick call." He pulled out his phone and punched in a number. "Hey Lila, sweetheart. Yeah, me too. Listen, I want to ask you a quick question, okay? Why? Because you know _everybody_, darling." He laughed intimately. "Ever heard of anyone named Vincent," he looked at Mick.

"Bob," Beth answered the unspoken question.

"Bob, or Robert Vincent. " He listened; face giving nothing away as usual. "Ok, thanks love. Yeah, I owe you; you can come by and collect next time you're in town."

He put the phone away and looked at Mick. "What a coincidence."

"It's true," Mick whispered.

Finally Beth had had enough of the exchange. "One of you better explain to me what that was all about."

"If her father was Robert Vincent, Morgan was most probably a half breed. It could be another Robert Vincent, but--"

"There are no coincidences in my life," Mick finished for him.

"_Was_?" Beth asked.

"I think it's safe to assume she's dead at this point," Josef confirmed.

"So Coraline killed her."

"She used her for the cure," Mick forced out, wanting the agonizing scene to be over and done with.

"That's just speculation on our parts," Josef quickly pointed out.

A look of total horror dawned on Beth's features. "It's our blood," she realized. "_I'm_ the cure…" Before either man could react, she'd leaped up and bolted out of the door.

XXX

Mick caught up with her as she reached the elevator. "Beth!"

He grabbed her arms to halt her progress. Beth twisted to try and break his grasp, and ended up on her knees with him kneeling beside her, holding onto her.

"Beth, please wait!"

"Oh my god," she was whispering, "oh my god…"

_God has nothing to do with this,_ he thought grimly. "It'll be okay," he told her. "It's okay."

"No it's not. You could have the cure, you could be human again. I know how much you want that." She turned wet eyes up to his. "I would give you that. My life for yours."

"No!" he denied. "I would never pay that price." He felt tears of his own welling up. How deep this love, when she would offer up her own life, to give him back his human life? "Never! Not like that. Listen to me, it's not worth it, you're worth more to me than _anything_, even that."

"I'm so sorry…"

"We don't know it for sure, we're just guessing. " But of course it was a good guess. To affect a cure like that, turning vampire into human, would surely take more than a pint or two.

"I thought we were destined to be together, that this is the way it was meant to be, but now to know that fate is so _cruel_ and taunting, to do this to us…"

The echo of Mick's own previous thoughts on the subject left a really bad taste in his mouth; coming from Beth's lips it was so horrible it made him silently vow to do whatever it took to make her understand the truth he was only just coming to realize himself. Josef was right all along, and now Mick was causing someone else pain with his inability to accept himself. The one person he couldn't allow himself to hurt in any way.

"I don't want to be human!" he said loudly, to break through her misery. It worked; she stilled and stared at him. "Fate knows what it's doing," he confirmed, a rueful smile hinting at his lips. "Don't doubt us now, after everything that's happened." It was working, she was listening. He removed his hands from her arms and cradled her face. "You're half vampire, and I'm a vampire. It's who we are, and I was wrong to keep wishing for something I couldn't have." His voice lowered, full of emotion. "I have _you_ in my life. For that, I'm _grateful_ to Coraline for turning me."

"Hallelujah," she murmured, laughing and crying both. "And the angels sang."

He looked at her with a quizzical smile at her odd words, then kissed her soundly. He couldn't help feeling stunned at the turn of events. Seemed like he'd found quite a few reasons to be happy with his vampirism. Not the least of which, he could never protect Beth as well as a human. That had always been, and would always remain, his number one priority in life. Or death.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he murmured, lips returning to hers for another, long taste.

"Would you two get a room already?"

They turned as one towards the voice. Josef lounged in the open door, arms crossed, smirk on his face.

Mick looked at Beth again. "We do have a room, don't we?"

She smiled. "Yes, we do."

He inclined his head toward it. "Then let's go."

He helped her up, and they made their way back to the apartment. "Excellent suggestion, Josef," he told him as he passed.

"Oh gawd." He rolled his eyes. "I guess this is where I came in."

"We'll call you later."

"Was our conversation over?" But the door was closed, and he was on the outside of it. "Guess so." He headed for the elevator. "Yuck. I'm going home and wash the taste of all this _love_ out of my mouth. Maybe a good '88 A positive," he told the empty elevator, and pressed the "down" button.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door…

"Finally alone," Mick said, holding her loosely in the circle of his arms.

"I thought he'd _never_ leave," she agreed with a blinding smile. "Did you really mean what you said?"

He pulled her in close, relishing the feel of her body pressed to his. He thought about fate, and miracles, and destiny. About how he would most probably never have known her. When she was born he would have been a human in his 60's. In the present, a frail 85 _if_ still alive, totally ignorant of the reality of vampires – and totally unable to help or protect her when she needed someone. Was his undead life so horrible? Right now, holding her in his arms where she belonged, he knew the answer to that was, _hell no! _And if he held a vial of a cure in his hands at this moment, that could transform him back into a human man, even if no one had died to provide it, he would smash it into a million pieces before he'd betray Beth by using it.

"I'm the luckiest man – and the luckiest vampire -- in the world."

"And don't you forget it," she teased with a smile, but her gaze on him was serious.

He started backing her towards the stairs. "Remind me – why did I tell you to get dressed again?"

"Because you're an old fashioned gentleman, and we had company."

"Ah, that was the problem."

"That you're too old fashioned?"

"No, company."

She giggled like a schoolgirl. Mick decided he liked the sound, and wanted to hear more of it. _But later…much later_. They were at the stairs now, so they broke apart to go up, but she took his hand in hers as they climbed.

This time they waited till they were inside the bedroom to start removing clothes. Stopping by the bed, Mick suddenly burst out with a laugh.

"What?" she queried.

He gestured to the mattress. "This bed's never seen this much action…any action for that matter," he admitted.

"It ain't seen nothing yet," she promised, starting to remove her clothes.

He took off the shirt he'd donned earlier, but when his hands went to the pajama bottoms she stopped him.

"Not yet."

All he could do was watch, transfixed, as her clothing came off piece by piece, and was tossed casually onto the chair by the bed.

_Maybe I need to pinch myself, make sure I'm not dreaming._

When the last of the clothing was gone, she took the small step necessary to bring their bodies into contact. "I love silk," she murmured, sliding herself against the material. Then she knelt down, placing a kiss against his hardness through the material.

_Whoa._ His eyes flew closed and he swayed on his feet. Part of his mind that was by some miracle still working had to be proud of how much self control he'd been able to exert, both last night and now. Considering how long it had been since he'd had a touch like this, which was a miracle in itself.

While she was down there, her hands came up and slowly drew the material down his legs. She looked up at him, and he almost lost it right there at the expression on her face. He roughly pulled her back up, and caught her mouth in a long, thorough kiss, maneuvering them down to the bed while she was occupied.

"So old fashioned," she teased, as his hands caressed her skin reverently. "We'll work on that."

He kissed the skin at the side of her neck, her ear, tongue coming out to taste her. His hands slid behind her back, pressing them closer together.

She shivered as pleasure danced across her skin where his touched. "I've been meaning to ask you… we've never, I mean, is… biting ever involved?"

He raised his head and gazed at her for a moment. "Sometimes," he admitted. "Yeah."

She caressed his face. "We can, you know. I'm okay with that."

"Maybe, sometime. I don't… want it that way now." He was surprised to find it was true. He wanted nothing more than to make love to this woman as a man makes love to the love of his life. No more, no less. He still vividly remembered how it had felt to feed on her, that day in the desert. The indescribable feeling of knowing it was Beth, _his_ Beth, whose sacrifice was saving his life. It wasn't just sex, bloodlust, or survival; it was a bonding of their souls together. He had no desire to take her with the casualness that Josef took lunch from his freshies.

Embarrassed by his thoughts, Mick picked up her arm and kissed the spot of the marks he'd made, enjoying her shudder at the contact. "Later," he promised, knowing with a flash of insight that she'd 

want it, even as he wasn't comfortable giving it to her. She wanted all of him, everything with nothing held back. The good – and the bad. He would, of course. He could deny this woman nothing.

"Now, where were we?" he asked with a sultry smile, continuing to kiss up her arm to the shoulder, giving the neck a promising caress of tongue. He worshipped her body, trying to show her how much she meant to him without words. He watched her face, monitored her body's reactions, basking in the heady knowledge that it was _him_ wringing these responses from her, and no one else. Ignoring the burning need to concentrate on her pleasure until he'd explored every inch of her, imprinting her on every fiber of his being. Until, finally, she was begging him. And when she did, he took pity in her (and himself!), and slid into her welcoming warmth.

As they rocked together gently, he whispered all the things that he'd once vowed never to tell her. They poured out of him like a dam bursting_. I love you. I need you. I'll do anything you want. I want to be with you forever. You're right, there's no space between us, there never was._ On it continued, with her encouraging him. Until the sounds she was making short circuited his ability to form words, and they tumbled over the cliff together.

"Forever," was the last thing he heard her say before drifting into an exhausted sleep. He lost consciousness himself before he could process of implications of her whispered vow.

**End part three: Salvation  
**

AN: Nick and Nora were the married couple in the "Thin Man" movies. He was a detective and she got involved with his cases. They were known for the "witty banter" between them.


	4. Sacrifice

**NOTE: **Okay, so I found several formatting errors in the first 3 chapters (scene breaks missing, etc.). Problem was it looked _fine_ in the preview, and I saved my changes... so I had no idea that it would be screwed up in the final result. I have since re-done them.

**AN**: Destiny continues to play out its hand in the lives of Mick and Beth. Yet more is revealed, a few things are resolved...once and for all. Beth's turn.

Chapter Four:

**Sacrifice**

By Cat Moon

_Twenty four hours can change your life._

_We humans may not have the gift of immortality but we tend to act as if we do, denying our ultimate demise as strongly as Mick tried to deny his attraction to me. And about as futile. We resent change, even though it usually comes to us slowly, the inexorable pulse of time counting down the seconds. So slowly we often don't even notice. That's the way we like it. We deny that life can change in an instant. One blink of an eye between everything you knew, and alien territory._

_And then you blink._

XXX

Beth critically sniffed at the pits of her blouse to determine its wearability. She decided it would be necessary to raid Mick's closet instead for another shirt to borrow. She checked the pants too; she was definitely going to need to stop at her apartment to change before going to work. No matter what was going on in her personal life, the job still had to be done. If she called in sick two days in a row, Mo would undoubtedly send the paramedics to her place, convinced she was dying. That made her smile, remembering _why_ she hadn't made it to work yesterday.

_Had a better offer._

Humming absently, she finished dressing and headed downstairs for coffee and cold, leftover pizza. When she'd gotten slightly light-headed the previous evening, they'd both remember how long it had been since she'd eaten anything and Mick had promptly ordered some delivery. She puttered around the kitchen contentedly, finding she really enjoyed being in Mick's quiet apartment in the early hours by herself, knowing he was just upstairs getting his beauty sleep in the freezer. She'd never been a fan of excessive cuddling in bed anyway. Didn't matter – the two of them were so connected now that she didn't need for him to be in the same room, she carried him inside of her, a part of her as if no physical space separated them.

Her thoughts couldn't help returning again to their lovemaking. _Poor Mick_. She smiled, remembering the look on his face when he'd thought she was going to go down on him. No matter how he portrayed an image of hip, modern vampire, he was still very much a product of his era. In his day relationships were much more black and white. There were "good" girls, and "bad" girls. The good girls you treated like a lady, and the bad ones you had fun with. She understood that... but she was going to enjoy loosening his inhibitions. His respect was endearing, but he was going to have to accept her as a mature woman, not some 'pure' damsel. To be fair though, by the end of the _long_ night, he'd already shed quite a few of those pesky things – she'd never look at the kitchen counter in the same way again. And if she even thought about the shower, she probably wouldn't make it to work today…

She gulped the last of her coffee, and put the note she'd written for him on the counter where he'd see it.

_Mick – _

_I've gone to work, so Maureen won't send out a search party. DON'T WORRY! Coraline doesn't know we know. I'll be fine. You can come by when you get up if you want._

_Forever, Beth_

_XXX_

The story she was working on was interesting enough, but Beth found herself too distracted to give it the attention it deserved. It would be one thing if it was thoughts of being with Mick intruding, but her mind kept unwillingly going back to the problem of Coraline.

_What is her ultimate purpose here? And how do we stop her?_

_She wants Mick._

"_Tell me something I don't know," _she mentally answered the Voice, crossly. If it wasn't going to come up with constructive comments, she didn't need to hear the obvious.

_She's human now. He won't be able to hurt her if he has to._

Well, that was a disturbing thought. Be careful what you wish for, she supposed. She ruthlessly shoved the Voice back down and decided to handle this one without influence. How to get rid of Coraline. Truth be told, she was afraid to ask the Voice that question.

It wasn't like they could have her arrested for the kidnapping. She wasn't a vampire any longer, so a well placed stake and a trip to the incinerator wasn't a viable option, either… And somehow, Beth didn't think reasoning with her would be productive: "Listen, Coraline, Mick and I are in love with each other now, and he doesn't want you anymore, so you can just find some other vamp's head to play with…" Nope, wouldn't work. Unfortunately, the only reasonable option she could come up with was watch and wait, go along with her ruse and be alert for her move, whatever it was and whenever it came.

Beth had never had to live like that before. Growing up, she never felt the need to be always looking over her shoulder, she'd felt safe and protected.

She wasn't about to start living like that now.

"I'm going to lunch," she told Maureen, as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

XXX

Josef heaved a put upon sigh when he saw her, but allowed Beth into his office. "I'm never going to get rid of the two of you now, am I?" he inquired.

"I think you secretly love us," she answered back. His gaze moved off and she followed it to where a beautiful young woman stood waiting by the desk.

"You interrupted my lunch," he told her bluntly.

She knew he was doing it to bait her. Shock her. Earning Josef's respect and trust wasn't going to be as easy as it had with Mick, but she was up for the challenge. "Eating at your desk? Tsk tsk," she returned. "You'll get indigestion. But don't let me interrupt you…"

For just a moment, she thought he was going to call her bluff and go to the woman. Instead, he gestured to the chairs at the conference table, and they both sat down.

"Okay, Ms. Turner, why have you ventured into my territory to see me, without your shadow?"

"I have a few questions I need to ask you, that I couldn't in front of him," she finished meaningfully.

"I admit to being slightly intrigued. Ask."

Her gaze flicked to the woman.

"It's okay, she's deaf." Beth's eyebrows rose. "Hey, I'm not prejudice against the handicapped, I'm an equal opportunity employer," he defended. "I even learned sign language."

"Is that what they are?" she asked, momentarily distracted from the point of her visit. "Employees?"

"Depends," he answered honestly. "Some are just into the whole experience of being with a vampire, the sensual rush they get from it. Others like to be…compensated."

"So let me get this straight, you've got this whole… harem of _donors_ who know what you are and give you their blood, but you're afraid Mick and I might accidentally reveal our secret?"

_**Our**__. It's our secret now. This is my world now, too._

"Believe me, they have a vested interest in being discreet."

"You know what I think? I think you're a control freak, and anything you can't control you don't trust."

"Sounds about right," Josef agreed mildly. "And I don't think anyone can control you. Especially Mick."

_Hmm, that was frosty._ Seemed like Josef had been a little friendlier towards her at Mick's yesterday. Maybe hunger makes vampires irritable too. She wasn't so fearless and rash that the thought didn't bring some warranted discomfort.

"Okay, I'll make this quick so you can get back to your lunch. First question: When Coraline kidnapped me, Mick staked her and set the cabin on fire because she was an evil vampire who deserved to be destroyed. What happens if Coraline the _human_ confronts him?"

"Mick thinks humans are sacred, especially women. I've seen him kill men when it needed to be done, but a woman? In my opinion, he could _never_ kill her if she's human. No matter what."

"So she can do anything she wants," Beth said, mostly to herself. She had been secretly hoping for a different answer, not confirmation of what the Voice had already told her.

Josef leaned forward. "I don't have the answers you need; I only have guesses and opinions to offer you. Given what we've learned, I think she plans to come between you and Mick, cause a rift there."

Beth snorted. "Like that would ever _work_."

He continued. "After that, insinuate herself into his good graces again. You know he used to be addicted to her. She'd crook her little finger and his little head would come running. She expects the same reaction this time, too. Then she kills you to get your blood, and offers him up the cure. It would be a kind of poetic justice for her, wouldn't it? She kidnapped you when you were young to lure Mick back and be a family together – the one thing she knew he hated her the most for taking away from him. Now she's going to take you for the cure so they both can be human together. Again, a thing he hated her for robbing him of. Same song, different lyrics."

She laughed, a bit weakly. "How about advice then?"

"I don't have any to give you that you'd take. I'm afraid we live in different moral neighborhoods. But you might want to start carrying a gun, for self defense if you need it. Don't rely on Mick this time."

"That's harsh."

Josef shook his head. "Don't get me wrong. I love Mick, but that means knowing his faults and weaknesses and accepting them. Just like he accepts mine. And if you tell him I said that, I'll deny it, and he'll never believe you," he warned.

Josef was quite a strange vampire, Beth decided. One minute he was cool and distrusting of her, the next he was uncharacteristically sharing something personal with her.

"Next question."

He made a show of glancing at his watch. "Your time's almost up. Unless you'd like to stay for lunch…"

"I would, but I don't think you want a jealous Mick after your ass," she replied. "I was just kinda wondering about something, and since obviously you know more about vampires than I do, and you've lived a lot longer than Mick... "She stammered, "Can half breeds been _turned_, just like regular humans?"

"Ah, _the_ question. I don't see any reason why not. Except for one thing," he didn't even pretend not to understand why she was asking.

"What's that?"

"Mick has a thing, and I mean a _big_ thing about the issue of siring. He wouldn't turn his worst enemy."

She digested that statement for a few moments. It wasn't like the answer was a shock, she could have guessed, given his frequent 'monster' comments. She was hoping though, that with his growing acceptance of himself, his feelings about that would change as well.

_And when the hell did I go from "I don't want that," to this casual discussion with Josef about my future turning?! And this feeling of disappointment…_

"If Mick won't, would _you_ turn me, whe—if the time came?"

Josef's eyes widened, and he whistled. He sat back in his chair. "Wow. I didn't expect that. And not much shocks me after all these years. I'm honored that you would ask me," he told her sincerely.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

He rose and held out his hand for her to do so too. When they were both standing, he kissed the back of her hand. "I'd be honored to be your sire, m'lady. But you've got awhile yet before you have to think about making any decisions like that."

_Maybe_, she thought. Then again, you never knew what might happen at any time. She knew how things could change in the blink of an eye.

"One last thing," she added, having been maneuvered to the door. "Do you have any good…_lawyers_ on your payroll; I'm thinking I'd like to draw up a living will. You know, just for a precaution."

Yeah, i_n the event of my impending death – TURN ME!_

Bottom line she had to finally admit to herself: she had no intention of losing Mick now. Or giving him up at any point in the future. And she certainly wasn't about to let him suffer the pain of living through the centuries without her.

_Centuries…_ she couldn't deny the thrill of excitement that thought gave her. What must it be like? To see so much, experience so much? She shook off the daydreaming, and focused again on Josef, whose eyes were twinkling at her.

"I think I know someone who could do that for you. I'll make the arrangements."

"Thank you."

She left Josef's office thinking she had finally – maybe – won him over.

XXX

_It's funny how things change when you find the love of your life. The sheer depth of it leaves you breathless, and you're amazed at all the things you'll do that you'd never even consider before. His smile lights up the world for you, and you drown in his eyes when they look at you. Mick asked me if I'd ever had an intense affair, the kind the burns you up; but the real thing is so much deeper than that. It doesn't burn you up; it brings you more alive than you've ever been before. It's knowing you'd do anything to protect it now that you've found it. You do whatever it takes, do what you have to do to care for the man you love. He loves you, and he has been placed in your trust for safekeeping. You take that more seriously than anything else in your life. It's fierce, and it's an instinct you cannot deny. When that little voice inside you calls, you answer. No regrets._

_The true measure of courage is doing what has to be done. The true measure of strength is not letting it destroy you._

Beth stood outside the door nervously, steeling herself to follow through with the decision she'd made over lunch. She wasn't having second thoughts, but needed a moment to psych herself up to go through with the game plan. If it didn't go as planned… she shrugged off the pessimistic thought. She'd trusted her instincts and so far they hadn't led her astray. Somehow, some way, she seemed to be plugged in to the plan of the Universe, and it was lighting up the path for her to follow, clearly marked with signposts, and sometimes, neon billboards. It was so obvious, when you opened yourself up and let yourself trust in something bigger than you. Scary, but a little Voice told her to just simply trust.

This was either the smartest thing she'd ever done – or the stupidest. Only one way to find out…

She knocked on the door, and a few heartbeats later, it opened.

"Hello, _Coraline_."

The face of the woman in front of her registered surprise, before it was hastily – and not quite effectively – covered up. Truth be told, Beth had surprised _herself_. She had planned on going along with the pretense for at least a few minutes, but this opportunity was too good to pass up.

_Beth: 1_

_Coraline: 0_

Who knew the Voice had a sense of humor?

"I guess you weren't expecting to see me."

She looked past Beth into the hallway. "Where's Mick?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice that made Beth want to throw up.

_Where you're not going to get your hands on him, you bitch._

"We need to have a little talk," she answered, moving past Coraline into the loft.

"Beth, I wasn't expecting you. But you know what they say, plans are made to be changed."

"Yes, they are," Beth agreed. "I've just changed yours."

Coraline sighed wistfully. "Okay, I'll play your little game for now. How did you find out?"

"You're dying to know, aren't you? How'd I find out? Does Mick know? Where is he?"

Coraline assumed a bored air, flopping down in the chair by her computer. "If you say so. "

"How'd you get the cure, huh? Did you kill Morgan to get it? And now you plan to kill me, so you can give it to Mick?"

"You have everything figured out, don't you, _little one_? So smart, yet so stupid."

Well, maybe it wasn't a wise move, but she had so much to say to this woman, and now that she had the chance she wasn't going to let it go. "You pretend to love Mick, but you have no idea what love really is. You took a wonderful, loving man and almost destroyed him. You robbed him of the life he could have had. Then when he wouldn't stay under your thumb you kidnapped and terrorized an innocent child for your sick games."

"Terrorized? I treated you like my own little girl!" Coraline defended herself. "It could have been so beautiful, you would have seen. We could have been a family, just the three of us, forever. You would have had the gift of eternal childhood."

"You really are insane."

"I gave Mick the most precious gift of all on our wedding night – eternal love. We were supposed to be together forever! If you love him you understand that! Then he threw it back in my face again!" Tears glittered at the corners of her eyes.

"The gift of _choice_ would have been more appropriate."

"But how could anyone turn down eternal love?" she asked, sounding confused. "I couldn't make him understand. I thought if I could just _show_ him – we could still have a family. Just like humans, only better, of course. But the bastard threw that gift in my face too, and tried to kill me! I'm pretty pissed off at him for that. But I can forgive him… eventually."

Beth smiled, a cold calculating smile that felt alien on her face. Certainty settled in her bones, and everything clicked into place. She had the words she was looking for. "Well, guess what? You'll never have him," she sneered. "I'm the one he's in love with, not you. He's sleeping right now, exhausted because we made love all night long. I will be the one to spend your precious gift of eternity with Mick. Not you."

Coraline's eyes hardened, the pleasant pretense fading at Beth's words.

"And I have you to thank -- for introducing us."

With a shriek, Coraline threw herself at Beth, clawing at her throat. Whether she had forgotten she was no longer a vampire, or just wanted to rip Beth's throat out was unclear. Beth twisted out of her grasp and they both crashed into a table, sending the lamp on it to the floor. Coraline quickly recovered, and wrenching herself away from Beth, she scrambled over to the desk. Fumbling in the drawer, she pulled out a gun and pointed it at Beth before she could get to her.

Coraline pushed the hair out of her face impatiently, but her voice had again returned to its innocent sweetness. "It's such a shame it had to turn out this way. Poor Beth, she was so jealous of Morgan's budding relationship with Mick, she came over in a rage. I had to kill her in self defense. I feel so bad about that!"

_Wait for it. Be ready._

Beth didn't have to be told twice. She held absolutely still and silent, heart pounding in her ears, staring at the black metal in the other woman's hand. Time stood still, as they stared at each other, and Beth waited.

Suddenly, the shrill whistle of a tea kettle broke the tense silence. It startled Coraline into turning her head toward the sound.

Beth jumped her, grabbing for the gun.

"No!" Coraline screamed, fighting to keep her hold on the weapon.

They struggled over the gun, two hands wrapped around it. Coraline's the strength of insanity; Beth's the strength born of great love. After a few seconds that seemed like years, another loud sound shattered the air, and a life as well. The sound of a single gunshot, finding its mark with unerring and deadly perfection.

The only sound besides the insistent kettle for several long moments was harsh breathing. Eventually, the woman rose unsteadily to her feet, looking down at the lifeless body before her.

_Beth: 2_

_Coraline: 0_

"I win," Beth said, then went to turn off that annoying whistle.

And call the police.

XXX

Beth rubbed her eyes; they felt like they were loaded with sand. It had been a long day, and it showed no signs of ending yet. She was sitting on an uncomfortable bench in the police station, waiting to be questioned about the shooting. Carl was conferring with another officer about the details at the scene.

"Listen, Carl," she interrupted, "do you mind if I make a quick phone call?"

He gave her a disapproving look. "Beth, you haven't been arrested, we're just questioning you."

She gave a brittle laugh. "What, only those arrested have the right to make a phone call?"

"Go ahead." He turned back to his conversation.

She pulled out her cell phone, and hit the speed dial for the number she'd just recently programmed in. After a couple of rings, she heard his voice on the other end.

"Hello," he said, voice sounding guarded.

She'd heard of paranoia, but Josef had the market cornered. "It's me. I ah, I'm just calling because I don't want to _worry_ anybody," she stressed the word, hoping she could get her hidden message across without being too obvious about it. "I'm fine, but there's been an… incident and I'm at the police station being questioned."

"What have you got yourself into this time, _Lucy_?"

"Yeah,well, I was working on this _story_ for Buzz Wire, about a woman who was _impersonating_ someone else. I decided to go and talk to her to see if I could find out anything, and she attacked me. So I had to kill her – it was self defense, but well, you know, the police have a lot of questions for me."

"I would imagine," he responded dryly, sounding slightly amused, and was that approval?

"So I just called so no one would _worry_, you know, when they didn't hear from me yet." She hoped he understood, she needed him to go and sit on Mick for the duration. She'd already been out of touch long enough that he was bound to be worrying, if he wasn't already looking for her. She didn't dare call him herself, he'd know the instant he heard her voice that something was wrong, no matter how good she was at disguising it.

"You want me to do damage control."

"Exactly," she said, relieved he got it.

"Sit tight, I'll take care of everything. Be careful what you tell them."

"Great, thanks, because I didn't want any panic to set it." The last thing she wanted was Mick, bursting into the police station in a frenzy. She wanted him kept as far away from this mess as she could, to protect him. They didn't need him getting involved at this point and drawing unwanted attention.

"You owe me now," Josef informed her.

"We'll do lunch," she responded.

The last thing she heard before he terminated the call was his laughter.

The interrogation room reeked of stale cigarette smoke, making her eyes burn and her throat hurt, and the coffee was lukewarm and weak. Beth was feeling slightly nauseas as she faced Carl across the table. When she'd called the police from Morgan's she'd asked for him specifically, and he'd been the officer on the scene. She felt more comfortable with him than with some possibly hostile stranger, even if he did like giving her a hard time on occasion.

"You say this woman was impersonating Morgan Vincent. How do you know that?"

"A source who knew it wasn't the real Morgan told me."

"Who?"

"C'mon, Carl, you know I can't reveal my sources. This person wants to remain anonymous."

"Okay. No, not really but we'll come back to that. What were you doing there in the first place?"

"Probably not one of my better ideas," she admitted. "But I wasn't getting anywhere with my investigation. I wanted to talk to her, see if I could get to the truth. When she realized I was onto her, she attacked me. Obviously she didn't want her secret out. We fought, she went and grabbed a gun out of the desk drawer and pointed it at me. Then the tea kettle went off, and it distracted her. I was able to grab onto the gun, we struggled over it, and it went off. "

Carl looked through the file folder in front of him. "Well, that part of your story checks out, there were signs of a struggle and the kettle was still warm. The gun is registered to Morgan Vincent. We're running her prints now; maybe we'll get a match if this woman had a record. We've faxed a photo of the dead woman to the police in Chicago. They'll show it to the parents. Simple enough to verify your story; if they say it's not their daughter you're probably in the clear. If it is…"

"It's not."

There was a knock on the door, and an officer stuck his head in, whispered something in Carl's ear. He looked at Beth sharply.

"Your lawyer's here."

"Oh," she said, not knowing what else to say. "He is?" _Josef_, she realized, must have sent someone.

"Do you really think you need a lawyer? Let me repeat, you haven't been arrested."

"Look, this is a serious situation, so maybe it's a good idea for me to have counsel. Just as a precaution."

Carl turned back to the officer. "Send him in."

A moment later Beth was face to face with a man she hadn't seen in over twenty years.

Her father.

She stared, trying not to be obvious about it, or let the shock she felt show on her face. Funny how time plays tricks with the memory, until this very moment she hadn't remembered that her dad was a lawyer.

"I'm Aldo Tillerman," he was introducing himself to Carl. "Ms. Turner's legal counsel."

"Yeah, well, this is just a questioning, counselor," Carl told him. "No one's been charged with anything."

"Yet?" he interjected. Beth watched him walk towards her in slow motion, fleeting glimpses of old memories flashing across her mind. His walk was familiar, almost a glide, confident and easy. She looked at his hands, and remembered them lifting her up into his arms.

"_There's my Bethy, how's daddy's little girl tonight?"_

"Huh?" she snapped back to the present, suddenly aware that she hadn't been there for a few moments and not sure what she'd missed.

He was next to her now. He touched her shoulder gently. "How are you holding up?" he asked, and she remember the voice too, as if it was yesterday.

"Fine," she said, but it wasn't true anymore. Of all the things that had happened to her in the past 48 hours, it took seeing him again to unravel her.

Aldo took the chair next to her. "Now then, go ahead and continue with your questioning as if I'm not here, Lt. Davis."

"I bet," Carl muttered, but picked up where he'd left off. Beth tried very hard to concentrate on the sound of her friend's voice and not the presence of the man sitting beside her.

_Daddy's a vampire._

_I'm in love with a vampire._

_I'm half vampire._

_Vampires exist._

"Beth!" Carl called her, apparently she hadn't responded to his question.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"You said you were running an investigation. Do you have proof of that?"

"Sure, on my computer at Buzz Wire. And I called the Vincents." She shrugged, acting embarrassed. "I pretended to be from the Wildcat alumni board."

Carl jotted down a note on the pad in front of him. "That's easy enough to verify, we'll have the CPD ask them. Here's the million dollar question, why would someone want to impersonate Morgan?"

"I have no idea," Beth told him. "I kind of got the idea this woman was mentally unbalanced – but that's just a personal impression."

"I think that should be about enough for today, don't you detective? Ms. Turner has cooperated fully and answered your questions. The only thing left to do now is to wait for you to verify her facts."

_How nice that my father should come all this way after twenty years to defend me. _She had the conflicting desires to throw herself into his arms for comfort, and slap him across the face for leaving her.

"Go ahead, get out of here," Carl told her. "We'll be in touch."

She and Aldo stood up to leave.

And as if the Universe wasn't quite through with her tonight, the door chose that moment to burst open, spilling Josh into the room. Her boyfriend. The _other_ one. You know, not the one she'd just killed for.

"Beth! What the hell is going on?!"

_Isn't this just perfect,_ she thought. "I thought you were out of town," she said.

"I just got back. They told me you were here being questioned about a murder."

"Self defense," daddy the lawyer interjected.

"Who's this?" Josh demanded, looking at the man who'd spoken up.

"My lawyer," Beth told him, feeling a hysterical giggle threatening to erupt.

"Your lawyer. Since when? Do you know that that D.A. is in the process of deciding whether to charge you with murder?"

"Don't you think Beth has been through enough for one day, without your harassing her?" Aldo told him in a warning tone.

"I want to go home," Beth murmured plaintively. She desperately needed to feel Mick's arms around her. Missed him suddenly with an ache that made it feel like years since she'd seen him instead of a few hours.

Josh sighed. "C'mon, I'll take you home."

Alarm blossomed at his words. "No!" He looked at her questioningly, startled by her reaction. "I uh, I just need to be alone right now."

Obviously it sounded as odd to him as it did to her, if his expression was any indication. He nodded. "Okay, I'll drop you off, then I'll come back later and check on you."

That wasn't going to work either. She felt Aldo's gaze on her, as if he too were waiting to see what she would do. Did he know about her and Mick?

She hadn't expected to have to do this right now, after the day from hell, but there was no other choice. "Can Josh and I have a few minutes alone?" she asked the two men.

Carl shrugged, and gathered his files to leave. "Sure."

Aldo briefly touched her shoulder. She was proud for not flinching – or grabbing onto his hand. "I'll be outside."

Then they were alone, and Josh was looking at her expectantly.

"What's going on here, Beth? I'm out of town for a few weeks, and I come home to… what? What have you gotten yourself involved in now?"

"Don't worry about it," she told him. "There's something I need to tell you. I never wanted to do it this way, here, but I don't have a choice. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"It's over."

"What's over?" he asked. She wondered if he were being purposely dense.

"Us. I can't see you anymore. I know it sucks to just throw it on you like this, and I know I'm a rotten person, and you really, really, deserve better."

"It's _him_, isn't it?"

She briefly closed her eyes, swaying a bit on her feet. She didn't want to involve Mick in this either, especially considering Josh's hostility towards him, but wasn't sure how to avoid it. Josh wasn't stupid, and it was so obvious even strangers noticed.

"I'm sorry."

"You've changed since you got involved with _him_, Beth. And not for the better. I wish you could see that. I'm worried about you."

"If you're honest with yourself, you know our relationship has been strained for awhile now. We were drifting apart long before…" _Mick_. "We want different things out of life. You wanted the whole white-picket fence, family thing; I want my career and a Pulitzer. I know that somewhere out there, the perfect woman for you is waiting. I wouldn't want you to miss out on her because of me. I can't be that woman for you, Josh. And you know it."

He looked at her for long moments. "We had a good thing together."

"For awhile," she agreed. "But not anymore."

"I hope you don't regret this," he warned. "St. John is bad news."

"No," she denied. "I think it's me. Goodbye Josh." She walked out the door without looking back.

Once in the corridor, the nausea that had been threatening hit with a vengeance. She waved away Aldo's "are you all right?" and dashed for the ladies room.

After tossing up the vile coffee, Beth rinsed out her mouth and splashed some cold water on her face. Feeling marginally more human, she steeled herself and went back to Aldo.

"I'll take you home," was all he said to her. She nodded. As they were walking, he took his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"Nice car," she commented for something to say, when they were inside his Lexus and headed away from the PD. Shivering a little with reaction, she pulled the coat a bit tighter around her. Her father's coat. It smelled like him. She felt tears prickled behind her eyelids, and fought them.

"It's a rental. I'll take you to your apartment first; you probably want to pick up a change of clothes and things."

She nodded, but kept her gaze on the passing city streets.

XXX

At her apartment, she headed straight for the bedroom and randomly began shoving things into a bag, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible so she could get back to Mick. It was Aldo who suggested she also bring some food with her, and boxed some staples up for her.

She hesitated just once. As they were leaving and she was pulling the door shut, she was suddenly hit by an overwhelming feeling of _ending_. As if she was leaving for the last time. It wasn't her, though, but that _other_ woman who had lived here. Life had changed forever, and the woman who'd last slept in that bed, the one who'd eaten a hurried breakfast with Josh before work, brushed her teeth in the bathroom, and spent evenings working on her laptop in bed with the TV on in the background, was gone. Nothing would ever be the same again. It was an odd feeling of loss, but there was no regret or sadness. She was merely marking the end of one lifetime, and the beginning of another.

_An eternity with Mick._

She smiled, and locked the door.

XXX

Then finally, _finally_, they were at Mick's apartment. The door opened before she'd even reached it, and she stepped inside, dropping her bag by the door. Mick was just standing up from the chair. "What happened? Are you okay?!" he asked, worry straining his features.

_Now that's how a boyfriend is supposed to act when you've just been through hell._

She walked into his open arms, and they closed tightly around her. "Beth, I was so worried…" he told her, just holding on. Exactly what she needed.

After a few moments, she felt him lift his head. "Hi, dad," he greeted someone. Couldn't be her father, could it?? She lifted her own head, to gaze up at Mick. "_Dad_?"

"Don't ask." He grinned, and kissed her.

"I believe it's time for us to take our leave, J," Aldo announced, setting the box of groceries on the floor. "I'll call you tomorrow, Bethy, or you can call me… if you want to talk…. Or anything. Whenever you're ready."

She took pity on him, finding it easier to face things now that she was in Mick's embrace. "I will," she said. "We have a lot of talking to do."

Josef jumped up out of the chair he'd been sitting in. "Good. You don't know what I've just been through with him. Let's get the hell out of here. I just had to babysit Mick for her, and it _wasn't_ a pretty sight."

Beth touched his arm as he passed them on his way to the door. "Thank you," she told him quietly.

"What can I say? Turns out we live in the same neighborhood after all." He winked at her, and then slung an arm around Aldo's shoulders. "C'mon, I'll buy you a pint, of A negative."

"What was that about?" Mick asked her quizzically of Josef's strange parting words to her.

"Don't ask," she told him. "Just hold me."

Then the door closed, and they were finally alone.

**End Chapter Four: Sacrifice**

(next up in 5: Mick's side of the events of the day)


	5. Patience

Summary: While Beth deals with the repercussions of her confrontation with Coraline, Josef gets stuck babysitting Mick.

AN: just so you know, there is a humorous line in the sex scene. It's done on purpose; it's intended to be funny.

Chapter Five:

**Patience**

_You'd think, being a vampire and living forever, one would develop a level of patience unrivaled in the mortal coil. My ex wife sure had it down to an art form. The kind like that, brewing for decades, waiting for just the right moment no matter how long it takes – that's the scary kind. I would just settle for the plain, boring variety. Should've known better, since nothing regarding Beth Turner is plain OR boring._

_XXX_

_I'm not freaking out. I'm not freaking out. Okay, I'm freaking out. I know I'm being paranoid, just because I haven't been able to reach Beth for a couple of hours doesn't mean anything is wrong. She's probably out on a story. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. I know that. But she should be answering her phone shouldn't she? Is my unease just overreaction, or does it have to do with the connection we share?_

Finally Mick reached the end of his patience, and decided to go see if he could find Beth. If he looked foolish, so be it. He was searching the apartment for his car keys when the knock came at the door. Absently patting his pockets, he opened the door to his friend.

"Sorry, Josef, I really don't have time to talk right now. I've got to… where the hell are my car keys?!"

"Yes, you do."

Something in Josef's tone stopped Mick cold. "Something happened."

"No!" Josef immediately reached out to grab his shoulder. "Jeez. Beth is fine. She sent me."

"Why?"

"_You're_ suspicious."

"I learned it from you. What's going on, Josef?" Patience be damned, he so wasn't in the mood for this.

"There's nothing to worry about."

"Then why are you here? Why did she send you?" He was confused, and that only increased his anxiety. Beth sending Josef…it just didn't compute.

"That's for her to tell you when she gets back."

"Back from where?" He asked, trying very hard to keep from wringing his friend's neck, since that might give temporary satisfaction but wouldn't provide the answers he wanted.

"Why don't you just CHILL OUT, sit down and relax. She'll be back soon, and then she can explain everything to you."

"Sure." In triumph he finally found his keys, but it was short lived as Josef, with vamp speed, snatched them out of his hand. "Hey!"

"You're not going anywhere. She specifically told me to make sure you stayed here till she got back."

"And you won't tell me what this is all about?" he asked, only slightly mollified.

"Me? Hell, no. You'll just have to wait and ask her."

"And she sent you, why?" Maybe if he annoyed Josef enough, he'd get some information.

Josef heaved a put-upon sigh. "So you wouldn't freak out."

"Why, is there something I should freak out about?"

"You're impossible! You got anything to drink around here?" he headed for the special fridge.

"I wouldn't insult you by offering you that vegan stuff."

"Ha ha, very funny." Josef proceeded to fix himself a scotch, lacing liberally with blood. "If there was something really wrong I would tell you. She's with her father."

"Her father?" Mick relaxed a bit. Maybe she just needed some time alone with Aldo to mend fences?

"Yes, her father."

_But…_ "Why couldn't she call me and tell me that herself?"

Josef rolled his eyes and took healthy swig of his drink. "She _really_ owes me for this."

"Owes you for what?" he asked, suspicion returning. Well, not that it had really gone anywhere.

"For dealing with you. Remind me again, how'd I get mixed up with you two?"

"You're my friend."

"I may have to re-think that position. Now shut up and sit down."

Mick did as told. Well, he sat, anyway. He felt compelled to try to explain his unease to the other vampire. His brain wanted to believe Josef, but his instincts were screaming at him. "We have this… I can tell when there's something wrong, I can sense it."

Josef flopped down into a chair. "_Mick_. You're my best friend. And her—do you think I'd be sitting here if there was really something wrong and she needed you? I'm not that stupid, nor do I have a death wish. She's perfectly safe."

What Josef said made sense, but his brain was beginning to engage more and he could put two and two together. The only explanation was that something _had_ happened – but that whatever it was, was over. _She's perfectly safe._ _Now_ seemed unspoken.

"So why did she send you here?"

"You're a broken record, you know that? She sent me to calm you down because she didn't want you to go nutso when you didn't hear from her."

Mick couldn't help the slight grin. "It's working really well."

"Shut up, smart ass."

His grin widened a bit. A little calmer now, he continued. "I mean, since when is Beth contacting YOU to do her favors."

"The woman is a menace. I'm wondering if a cross would repel her. Maybe some garlic or holy water…"

Mick smiled widely now. "You like her."

"Watch your mouth! She's a _human_."

"Uh-huh." He muttered, unconvinced. If he had to sit here and wait, he could at lease amuse himself at Josef's expense. "Should I be jealous?"

"That's great. I hope you're enjoying yourself."

Mick nodded. "I figure, why should I suffer alone?"

"Oh, believe me, I'm suffering. My only consolation is she's YOUR woman, not mine."

"I can live with that," Mick agreed happily.

"You're both crazy," Josef pronounced.

Mick wondered though if Josef would be quite so accepting of Beth if she wasn't part vampire. Unlike what he'd thought when he first met her, she wasn't really an outsider to their world. For many vampires, the term half breed would have the same connotations as it did when it used to refer to a child of an Indian and a white man. Outsider, outcast. But he knew Josef wouldn't see it that way. He was dedicated to protecting his own.

He pinned his friend with an intense gaze. "Tell me that's the truth? She's really okay?"

"She's really okay. I promise."

Knowing his friend as well as he did, Mick knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of him. For now, all he could do was wait. Unable to sit still, he got up to pace the minutes away.

Josef watched impassively for awhile, sipping his drink. Then he spoke. "When she gets here… don't cross examine her the minute she walks in the door. She's had a rough day, so give her a break and let her tell you about it when she's ready."

The uncharacteristic comment stopped Mick in his tracks. He stared at Josef, mouth open in shock. Then he collapsed back into the chair. Continued starting at Josef for a long time. Josef pretended not to notice.

XXX

After what seemed like an eternity, the wait was finally over. Mick jumped up off the chair well before the Turners got off the elevator. He grabbed the remote and had the door before they got to it. Then she was inside, looking weary and bedraggled but unharmed. He barely noticed Aldo, focused solely on her.

"What happened? Are you okay?" She walked into his open arms, and he closed them around her automatically. "Beth, I was so worried…" he admitted, holding on tightly, not sure he'd ever be able to let go again. Eventually he was able to calm somewhat, and gaze sheepishly at Aldo over her head. "Hi, dad," he smiled ruefully.

Beth looked at him in questioningly. "Dad?"

"Don't ask," he responded, unable to resist kissing her, because it felt like years since he'd been able to do that.

"I believe it's time for us to take our leave, J," Aldo announced, setting a box of groceries on the floor. "I'll call you tomorrow, Bethy, or you can call me… if you want to talk…. Or anything. Whenever you're ready."

"I will," she said. "We have a lot of talking to do."

So do _we_, Mick thought, but kept silent. And kept his hold on Beth as well.

Josef jumped up out of his chair as if shot from a canon. "Good. You don't know what I've just been through with him. Let's get the hell out of here. I just had to babysit Mick for her, and it _wasn't_ a pretty sight."

Beth touched Josef's arm as he passed them on his way to the door. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"What can I say? Turns out we live in the same neighborhood after all." To Mick's surprise, he winked at her, and then slung an arm around Aldo's shoulders. "C'mon, I'll buy you a pint, of A negative."

"What was that about?" Mick asked her as the door closed on the two men, referring to Josef's odd parting words to her.

"Don't ask," she told him. "Just hold me."

Not a request that was a hardship to fulfill. "You're really okay?"

She smiled at him tiredly. "I'm okay. I know you're wondering what's going on."

"Yes," he admitted. "But I can wait if you're not up to talking about it yet." She stared at him with more than a little surprise. "If you want something to eat? Bath? Drink? Sleep?"

Beth smiled. "Know what I really want?"

"What?" Anything she wanted he would gladly provide.

"You." She reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"I thought… you were tired?" his question ended on a squeak, as she boldly stroked her hand over the growing bulge in his pants. Possessively.

"I've got my second wind."

_Holy crap. _Whatever had gone on that day seemed to make her horny. If the way she was pushing him toward stairs was any indication. His shirt was unbuttoned but she had left it on, using the edges to pull him along.

"Ms. Turner, are you trying to ravish me?"

"You got a problem with that, Mr. St. John?" she challenged.

He held his arms out from body, giving her access. "Have at it."

She grinned, a private grin as if to a private joke. "C'mere, big boy."

Upstairs, the bed seemed to be smiling. Or maybe it was leering. Or maybe Mick was just projecting. Beth undressed him as they stood beside the bed. The feeling of her hands at his waist undoing his belt and pants was hotter than he would have imagined.

After he was naked, she stood admiring him for a moment, then began removing her own clothing. Not slowly to put on a show, but not quickly either. He stood there, bemused, going along with whatever she wanted.

When the last piece of clothing was gone, she rubbed herself against him briefly, like a cat. His head flew off his body and hit the ceiling when she slid down and took him into her mouth. Time ceased to 

have any meaning, vanishing in an unending now. He was still trying to process that when he found himself on the bed, Beth straddling him. Too stunned to do anything but let her take the lead. Didn't mean he couldn't help… he plunged hands into her hair and pulled her down to him for some enthusiastic kissing.

_I'm absolutely dreaming_. He grabbed her hips to help support her as she lowered herself onto him, unable to help himself from bucking off the bed slightly. She flung her head back and moaned. He could _feel_ her moan all though his entire body. _No, I'm dying,_ he corrected.

After a few awkward moments they found a rhythm together. He felt the edges blurring as his control slipped quietly away, unnoticed. The next thing he was aware of through the haze of pleasure was that they were now on their sides, still locked together, striving for that one perfect point.

"**Now**." She said, and before he knew what was happening or even what command he was obeying, his fangs were piercing her neck. The world exploded in red, deafening but silent.

Time snapped back into reality, leaving him sprawled on the bed, staring at her and feeling shell shocked. Her chest heaved as she struggled to get breathing under control. He reached out a shaky hand to her neck. The wound wasn't bleeding much; he could tell he hadn't taken much.

She finally found her voice. "Oh – my – god."

"We can't do that very often."

She laughed breathlessly. "We shouldn't have to!"

"Are you--"

She covered his lips with two fingers. "I am so far beyond okay, they haven't invented a word yet."

Mick couldn't help but grin. He was doing a lot of that lately. "Me too."

The room was quiet for a bit, as they both recovered.

"You'll have to wear a turtleneck for a few days," he told her.

"I'll tell everyone I have a hickey," she giggled.

"Wouldn't want you to have to lie," he decided, suddenly pouncing on her neck, picking a spot well away from the bite, and beginning to take care of that problem. She laughed.

He didn't stop until he'd made her laughs turn to moans, and he was hard inside of her again, and they rocked together gently. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair. Climax rolled over both of them in slow waves this time, no less sweet for lack of intensity.

He stared into her eyes, avidly taking in every response of her body. No two people could be more _one_. "Marry me."

Her happy gaze seemed to morph into something a little sad. She ran her hand lovingly through his hair. "Ask me again."

"Huh?" he said, confused and a bit worried.

"Ask me again, after I tell you what happened today."

The implication of that was incomprehensible. He shook his head brusquely. "I'm asking you now. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes," she said through another kiss. "Oh, yes."

Mick was feeling pretty pleased with himself as they lay in each other's arms. This being happy stuff was pretty alien and weird, but he was starting to think he might be able to get used to it. It amazed him how Beth could make him feel human again. The longer it went on, the more he determined not to let anything screw it up.

"You wanna tell me now?" he finally asked her.

Beth sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. He respected her silent request for space. "Well, for one thing I broke up with Josh tonight."

He reached out; trailed fingers up and down her arm. "Considering we're engaged now, that was probably a good move."

She laughed, but then quickly sobered. "Not the only one."

He looked at her questioningly, but she didn't elaborate. "He didn't give you a hard time, did he?" he asked with sudden suspicion and tentative anger.

"No, not really. It went as good as these things can be expected to."

Grasping for a reason for the unease radiating from her, he tried an unpleasant idea on for size. "Are you having—"Second_ thoughts? Regrets?_

Beth interrupted him. "Finish that sentence and I'll give you a black eye."

"Won't last long," he commented, smothering a grin of relief.

"So I'll just keep doing it. It'll be fun."

"I didn't know he was back in town."

"Neither did I until he walked into the interrogation room."

Mick sat up in bed, anxiety creeping back. "_What_ interrogation room??"

"Then, I – unexpectedly – saw my father for the first time in over 20 years. That was…hard."

His hand returned to rub her arm comfortingly. "It'll get easier, with time."

She looked at him. "Time heals all wounds?"

"I sure as hell hope so."

She looked away. "Me, too. Coraline is dead."

Interrogation room. Coraline dead. The words came together frighteningly, and he was paralyzed with the implications. "Beth," he reached for her and pulled her into his arms, space be damned. "Beth… Tell me what happened."

She recited the facts, no emotion in her voice. "I went to her loft to talk to her. I told her I knew who she was and what she wanted. I told her she couldn't have it. She didn't take the news well. She had a gun, we struggled. It went off, and she lost."

For a moment, Mick struggled to fight the hazy feeling in his head, certain he was going to pass out. The thought of Beth going against Coraline… even as a human, she had a few centuries of experience and insanity over Beth. "I could have lost you…" he said, horrified. Words couldn't describe his racing emotions.

"No! That wasn't going to happen, I wouldn't take a chance like that."

"How do you know that?!" he was dismayed to note his voice rose with some amount of anger, but couldn't help it and wasn't going to try.

She hesitated, took a breath and he could see her come to a decision. "The Voice told me."

He looked at her. He blinked. "Excuse me?"

She ran her hand through her hair. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I've been hearing this "Voice" inside. Giving me information I shouldn't have known. – Don't look at me like that – you can "smell" the past, how weird is that?! I think it might be…some sort of skill I have because I'm…part vampire. Kind of a cross between psychic and instinct."

He stared at her, trying to reign in the dozens of emotions battling for dominance. "And you were going to tell me this, _when_?"

"I knew you were going to be mad at me," she said, pulling away.

And because anger was occasionally a part of any normal relationship, didn't change the fact that he loved her more than life, he took her arm back and kissed the palm of her hand. "Do you know what it would do to me if I lost you?"

"Yes." Her eyes flashed fire. "The same as it would do to me if I lost you. I had a talk with her, human to human. I did what I had to do to protect you. Sound familiar?"

Touché. He rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Are you in trouble?"

"It was self defense, and I have plenty of proof that I was investigating this woman for impersonating Morgan Vincent. I've got a good lawyer if I should need him."

"Lawyer?"

"Aldo Turner, Esquire, " She said with a wry twist of a smile. "They say girls fall in love with men like their fathers. My first long term relationship was with a lawyer, I fell in love with a vampire. I'm such a text-book case."

"That's a textbook case??" He squeezed the hand he held. He still felt shell shocked, but then again that was becoming a way of life for him. Time to get used to it. "You want that bath now?"

"Yeah, I'll take the drink too."

XXX

Mick walking into the bathroom, momentarily distracted by the sight of Beth lounging in the tub. Her wet skin, glistening in the light from the candle that sat on the rim as she sipped from a glass of brandy; battling the part of him that wanted to go to her. He had another mission to complete.

"I need to go to the morgue." She looked at him. "I'm sorry. But I have to be _sure_. Last time…" He'd been convinced Coraline had burned to death in the cabin, hadn't checked to make sure. This time he wouldn't be able to rest until he did.

Beth nodded in understanding. "I'll go with you."

"You don't have—"

"I'm going with you," her tone brooked no argument.

XXX

Guillermo pointed them to the drawer with the body of the latest Jane Doe, his gaze on Beth curious but he didn't ask questions. Mick was disinclined to share anything, so it was a relief.

Mick stopped them at the door. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked Beth.

"I'm not gonna let you go in there and view your ex-wife's body alone."

He nodded, and hand in hand they approached the drawer. Without pausing, Mick pulled it open. He focused on the body with all of his senses, studying every detail. After a tense moment, he slumped in relief.

"It's her. She's dead." Never again would Coraline be a threat to them.

"I'm sorry," Beth whispered, and it was so completely different from the direction of his own thoughts that he gaped at her in confusion for a moment.

"Huh?"

"She was your wife. I mean," she looked away. "You cared for her," she finished in a whisper.

No matter that they were in the middle of the morgue in the middle of the night, he took her into his arms. "Yeah, I did. _Once_. Coraline made her choices in life, just like the rest of us. She brought the consequences on herself. We all have to live with our consequences." Or die with them.

"Let's go home," was all she said to that.

XXX

Mick and Beth were having their respective breakfasts the next morning, when her cell phone rang. Looking at the display, she smiled at him and took the call.

"Hello Maureen," she made a face at Mick. He could have heard the other side of the conversation too, but didn't care. He was content just to listen to her voice. "Uh-huh. " Pause. "Sorry, I was a little…busy, you know what with the police and everything," But she was blushing and he knew she wasn't thinking of the PD. "Of course I will." Pause. "First thing, yes, soon as I get in. Okay? Goodbye Mo." She put the phone back on the counter and grinned at him. "She wants to run the exclusive interview with me this morning. You know, Buzz Wire's top reporter involved in murder of Buzz Wire photographer who was actually an imposter…"

"So you're on the other side of the story for a change. "

"I suppose it'll be good for giving me a certain amount of sensitivity towards the people whose stories I'm covering in the future."

"That's my practical Beth." His eyes twinkled at her teasingly. "Top reporter, was that Maureen's words?"

"I was paraphrasing."

He leaned over to give her a kiss. "But truth. You are the best."

"You're biased," she told him, but her face was glowing at the compliment.

"Yeah, but it's still the truth." A knock at the door interrupted the moment between them. He grabbed the remote to let his friend in. "Is it me, or is this apartment starting to resemble grand central station?"

Josef breezed in without preliminaries. "Here ya go, Nora," he tossed a file at Beth.

"What's this?" she asked, opening it and gasping at the contents.

"Everything my people found in 'Morgan's' loft that could be incriminating for our little neighborhood."

Mick looked too; it was full of photographs. All of them of Mick and Beth, starting shortly after that night at the fountain. "She was stalking us!"

"No shit. Oh, by the way, the police will be calling you shortly. The Vincent's confirmed that the woman claiming to be Morgan wasn't their daughter. So now they've got a missing person's report out on her. The body at the morgue was officially listed as Jane Doe. They're buying the self defense and aren't going to press charges. It's _over_."

"It's gonna take a lot more than lunch to repay this one, isn't it?" Beth asked him.

Mick looked between two of them, not sure he liked the conversation. "What the hell--?"

Josef shared look with Beth that Mick couldn't interpret. "Inside joke."

"The two of _you_ have inside jokes now? I think I'm hearing the music from the twilight zone."

Then it got even more astounding when Beth walked over and hugged Josef, kissed him on the cheek – and he let her. He wore a look of complete tolerance – which for Josef was equal to warm affection.

"You got my marker," she told him. "You know I'm good for it." In his language, sort of, letting him know if he ever needed anything she'd be there. And could handle whatever she needed to.

Josef nodded. And Mick decided he was hallucinating, because there was no way he just saw Josef Konstantin kiss Beth Turner on the cheek in return.

Josef headed for door. "You got your hands full with that one, _Nick_. Take care of her. Don't screw it up!"

The door closed to absolute silence, until Mick found his voice. "Wow. He really blew his image, didn't he?"

Beth shrugged as if unconcerned. "Something else I'm thinking about blowing right now."

"Nora!" Mick exclaimed in a scandalized tone at her suggestion.

"Nick…" she replied, advancing on him.

"I really have to watch those damn movies," Beth grumbled, and it was the last anyone said in the apartment for a long time.

**End of Chapter Five: Patience**


	6. Ode to Josef

AN: just a little filler I wrote simply to amuse myself.

Chapter Six:

**Ode to Josef**

"Josef needs a girlfriend."

"Excuse me?" Mick raised _both_ eyebrows at Beth.

"Do we know anyone we can fix him up with?"

"Excuse me?" Mick repeated.

She punched him in the arm. "You heard me."

"Josef has lots of girls."

She punched him in the arm again. "Don't be obtuse."

"I am _not_ getting involved in this," Mick replied, rubbing his arm. "You're on your own, _Lucy_."

"Hey – that's Josef's nickname for me," she informed him, offended.

"I want to wake up now," Mick informed the universe.

Beth punched him in the arm. "I wonder if he'd like Marissa. Or maybe we should stick to another vamp…"

"Please, auntie Em, I want to go home."

"On the other hand, I've got this friend named Cat he might like. She's road manager for a band, I think he'd find that exciting."

Mick dove for the phone, and hit speed dial #1. As soon as he heard the voice, he was speaking.

"Save yourself! Get out of town now, _Fred_!" he told Josef on the other end.

"What the hell??" Was the last thing he heard before the phone was snatched away from him and he was punched in the arm.

**End of Chapter Six: Ode to Josef**

**AN**: Fred of course being Ricky's best friend from "I Love Lucy." I don't think there's anyone who _hasn't_ heard of that show, but just in case: Lucy Ball's show, where she would get in all kinds of trouble. Since Josef nicknamed her that it would make Mick her husband Ricky, that's why he called J Fred.


	7. Long, Strange Trip

**AN**: The "chapters" of the H.B. Universe are really individual stories; they were incorporated into one single entry in order to fit the format of this website. Therefore, starting with this chapter, you may notice most of them self-contained and also that more time elapses between them. This one for instance, probably takes place a week or two after the previous.

Chapter Seven:

**LONG, STRANGE TRIP**

By Cat Moon

Nostalgia. Never cared much for it myself. The past is gone, and you can't get it back. Why waste time mourning for what you've lost…. Well, if that's the definition then I guess I've been a pretty big fan of nostalgia after all. I usually prefer to ruthlessly shove those kinds of thoughts into a closet somewhere and lock the door. Dwelling on what's gone isn't a fun way to live – especially when you live forever.

These days though, it's better. Funny how when your present is good, the past seems better too, as if they're intimately connected and one can touch the other. Imagine my surprise when Beth dragged me to the antique fair and I actually found myself having a good time reminiscing. I saw a chair like the one my parent's used to have in the living room in the 30's, and some old jazz records from the 50's that I enjoyed talking about even if it was just to see Beth laughing when I explained how the scratches and pops only added to the musical appreciation. I knew that's why she was going this; not some sudden domestic interest in shopping together, she just wanted to learn more about my past. So I indulged her, and pretended she was interested in old furniture. It's me she's interested in.

Funny how those kinds of thoughts always make me smile.

"Hey, check that out," Beth pointed. It was a vintage posted from a Led Zeppelin concert in San Francisco.

"Nice," I commented, looking sideways at her. "We did some Zep cover tunes," I offered.

"We?" She pounced like a dog with a bone.

I smiled, enjoying her enjoyment. "You know I used to play in a band in the fifties." She nodded. "Well, in the late 70's, I decided to try the music thing again. A couple of us got a band together, The Nighttrollers. We played mostly the worst dives around L.A…"

XXX

Micky Johns sat in a chair in the dressing room/coat closet, tuning his guitar. His wore the 'uniform' of the decade: tight, faded blue jeans strategically ripped in all the right places; a black T shirt with the Grateful Dead logo on it, only one of his band mates had playfully altered it to read the Grateful Undead. His hair was long, hanging down to his shoulders. There was an earring in his left ear, a gold cross – in those days he was going through a rebellious phase and thumbing his nose at the humans.

His band mates were similarly dressed. Johnny was tucked away on the battered, old smelly couch in the corner, boldly feeding from one of the groupies who hung out at the gigs. Mick tried to ignore them, concentrating on the music instead. The other guys were pretty much in it for the groupies and the drugs. It was an added bonus, when drinking the blood of the stoned girls they were able to get high. For Mick, it was nice to be playing again, even if he did have to deal with a set of complications unlike anything he could have imagined in the fifties. Cameras were a bit tricky; some of the club goers tried to sneak cameras in to get photos of the band. In response, their roadies were as forceful about keeping cameras away as Kiss's were about them not being seen without the makeup.

"Blood, drugs, and rock and roll!" Johnny yelled, having finished 'dinner.' Micky smiled faintly, focusing on the guitar in his hands. Not for the first time, he wondered what he was doing here. When you were a vampire, you had to learn to blend in with the decade. Go with the flow. It didn't do to stick out. It was what it was. But he sometimes wondered if there was something _better_ than this – even for a vampire.

Pete, their bassist, clapped him on the shoulder. "Ready to rock the house down?"

Micky smirked. "Won't be too hard, this place is falling apart. " Pete was a good guy. Human. He was into the rock & rock, hoped to move on to bigger things someday. His brother was turned and it made him sympathetic to the cause. Plus he liked all the groupies the vampires attracted. His brother had gone missing at some point. Guess hanging out with vamps, he hoped to get some lead on the fate of his brother.

"Let's do it," Micky announced, and the band began making their way to the stage. This was the point in the show Mick dreaded most. As always, the minute he took the stage his eyes would roam the crowd, to see if Coraline was there. Hating himself for it. Not wanting to see her…but wanting it, too.

"She's not here, man," Pete said in his ear.

"Good."

"Yeah, you look relieved. But I know I am." The band members had been witness to a few 'scenes' over the months. To the point where Johnny (who was fiercely loyal to his own kind and would never touch any unless it was, reluctantly, self defense), had complained he was going to stake her himself the next time she showed up. "You did the right thing, dumping her like bad news. You know it, we all know it."

"I'm not looking for her," Micky protested.

Pete put an arm around his shoulder. "There's a woman out there for you, Mick. A good woman, who will show you what love really is all about. All you gotta do is wait for her. Don't 'settle' in the meantime."

Mick laughed, but it didn't come out sounding amused. "Sure."

Pete winked. "I saw it in my crystal ball."

"The only ball you have besides the ones in your jeans is that stupid 8 Ball you drag around with you."

"Okay, so it was the 8 Ball. Yes, definitely. It's in the stars, man."

"You're stoned, man!"

"Ah, but our gorgeous lead singer is smiling now. So get out there and reel in those chicks!"

Laughing genuinely now, Mick took the stage with his band. The lights were down low, and they started in with a haunting cover of Uriah Heap, "The Prisoner".

_I'm a prisoner_

_Don't wanna lock myself away_

_Prisoner - I get so lonely, lonely_

_I'm a prisoner_

_Just when you think love will stay_

_It walks right out on you - out on you (Saad)_

From there they moved into Stairway to Heaven, and on to a few lively Grateful Dead tunes. It was a good night. Coraline didn't show, Pete won one of the prettier groupies over Johnny, and not one camera had to be broken. Johnny picked out a nice, pretty girl to bring to Mick, saying she was just his type (his favorite blood type, that is). When the room started doing things rooms weren't supposed to do, Mick finally figured out what his band mates whispers and giggles were about. They spent the rest of the night laughing at the normally totally straight Mick, who spent the evening high as a kite.

"Gotta let loose once in awhile, man," Pete had told him unsympathetically. They'd teased him for weeks afterward, making up ever more outrageous stories of what Micky had supposedly done that night.

All in all, a great night. One of the last.

Pete never found his brother. Right after that, Micky Johns decided to become Mick St. John again, hang up the guitar for good, and focus on the PI gig instead. Help people like Pete find lost loved ones.

XXX

"What happened to Pete?" Beth asked me.

We were still in front of the rock memorabilia; I was fingering a Grateful Dead bear and thinking of Uncle Jerry. I felt the fond smile fade from my face at the question. "He died. Got into a fight in a club one night, and got his neck slashed with a broken bottle. Hit the carotid. "

I can remember that night as if it's yesterday, now. I arrived too late to do anything; the fight was already over. Pete lay on the grimy floor in a pool of his own blood. I can even remember the smell of it, thick, rich, tainted with the chemical trace of recreational drugs. He looked up at me as I held his head, telling him to hang on even though we both knew the truth. He was unable to talk, but I'll never forget the look in his eyes. To this day I don't know if they were asking me to turn him, or asking me not to. I didn't.

I felt Beth take my hand, and watched as she brought it to her lips. After a kiss, she held it against her cheek in silent support.

I wanted her to ask me_. Don't you get tired of the dying?_ Funny how much death can be a part of your life when you don't die. Maybe I've been wrong. I don't know anymore. And that scares me.

"Did you ever find his brother?" she asked quietly.

I winced, but finished the story. "He finally came around a few years later. He'd heard about what had happened, and was after me for revenge for not turning Pete. I had to slice his head off."

Beth put her arms around me, hugging me to her. When she looked up there were tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean for this to bring up painful memories."

All my memories were painful until she came into my life, but I couldn't' tell her that. I smiled at her and took her face in my hands. "It's okay." She gave skeptical look. "Really. It's…good to tell someone. You."

"You can tell me anything," she whispered. I knew she meant it.

"Did you know this story has a happy ending?" She shook her head. "Right after that I threw myself into being a PI, and it wasn't too much later that your mother walked into my office, needing me to find her little girl."

I was hoping to get a smile out of her, but I didn't. "It must get so lonely. Not having anyone to share the decades with. The centuries…"

I grabbed Beth and pulled her to me, kissing her fiercely, not caring that we were in public. Mostly just to distract her from that line of questioning, of course any excuse is a good one to have her in my arms.

"Not now. Please." I begged. "I can't talk about this… yet."

She studied me seriously for awhile; finally gave a small smile. "Okay. Not yet."

Threat and promise, both. I held her hand tightly in mine as we exited the fair. "Let's go home."

Home. Where I could bury myself in her; in her smell, and taste, and her eyes, and her body. And pretend the past didn't exist, the future didn't exist. There was only the perfect now.

Time has come to say goodbye

To the broken memories

They're locked inside like prisoners

In a place that no-one sees

(THE PRISONER, written by Saad)

**End of Chapter Seven: Long Strange Trip**


	8. Forever

**AN**: I have been told this chapter needs a hanky alert.

Summary: catching up

Chapter Eight:

**Forever**

"Hi mom, it's me, Bethy. I'm sorry I haven't visited in awhile, things have been kinda hectic the past few months." She laughed ruefully. "That's an understatement, actually." Then she quieted for a moment, soaking in the peaceful silence.

"I've met someone special. He's the _One_, mom. He's kind and sweet, and a real old fashioned gentleman. You'd like him. Actually, you kind of know him already. He takes good care of me, and he loves me, and he's everything you ever wanted for me. Josh?" She sighed. "It was good, once, but we weren't meant to be together. I wish him the best, I really do. But he's not the one that makes me feel cherished. He never was."

"Oh, and daddy came back. Can you believe it?!" Beth gave a watery chuckle. "I know the truth, now. Don't worry, I'm not mad, I know you were only trying to protect me by keeping it from me. Mick tried that too, at first, but he's not good at keeping things from me. Turns out vampires make really bad liars," she giggled. "Dad told me that Mick and I remind him of the two of you. I wish… I wish he had been strong enough to make the same decision Mick did. To stay. But I'm trying really hard to understand why he didn't. He wants to come visit you, he really does, but he can't yet. Mick says to give him time, that it's too painful right now. I have….conflicting feelings about that." She laughed. "I'll get over it, you know me. You always used to say I was the 'resilient' one. That's sure been tested in the past few weeks, but I'm okay. We're okay."

"I'm in love with my guardian angel, what could be better?"

She felt a presence behind her, and turned to see Mick walking up. She was sure he'd been there for awhile, still watching over her, unable to help himself. It was a gray day, and he wasn't wearing shades; his eyes glittered with emotion in the pale light.

"I thought I'd find you here."

"And here I am," she teased. "What amazing powers of PI detection."

He pulled her into his arms playfully. "As I recall, you said I was amazing last night, too," he said in a husky voice.

She threw back her head and laughed joyfully. "Oh and mom, did I mention he's incredibly humble?"

Mick waited while she said her goodbyes, and then laid the single red rose he'd brought on top of the gravestone. As they headed out of the cemetery, he lingered behind just for a moment, his hand touching the smooth, cold stone.

"I'll take care of her," he promised Beth's mother.

"Forever."

**End of Chapter Eight: Forever**


	9. Sanctuary

**AN**: This chapter contains religious concepts and ideas, may be controversial for some. If you are easily offended, please don't read. I am Christian myself, but I respect everyone's beliefs. That being said, I've had no negative comments yet, it's been one of the reader's favorites.

Chapter Nine:

**Sanctuary**

"_Given the complex history of religion and vampires, a church is not where you'd expect a vamp to find sanctuary." __--Mick St. John, 12:04AM_

_Most vampires tend to be atheists. I guess it's either that or accept the fact that you've done something, committed some sin so grievous that it damned you for all eternity. When you live forever, heaven doesn't seem to be an option. Do those of us who are killed get redemption? Maybe the vamp life is some kind of odd purgatory. I thought I'd lost my soul when Coraline turned me. Lately… since Beth, I've had to do some serious re-evaluating._

_Mostly though, I just try not to think about it at all._

XXX

Mick eyed his friend across the desk. "You know, it occurs to me that you have a lot of nerve."

"You mean like, big cojones?" Josef said with an irrepressible grin. "This is news?"

"I mean, you come to me asking for my help, knowing I'm still mad at you for lying to me."

"We're vampires, it's what we do."

"That's a bit offensive." When it came down to it though, Mick had trouble staying angry with Josef. Considering how much he'd lied to Beth (lies of omission counted too, he figured), and with her being so accepting of it all. In her name, he'd let it pass.

"Besides, you forgive me. And this is for the vampire solidarity, not for me."

"Not so sure about that. Could just be Josef paranoia again. Okay, what's the case?"

"I've been hearing these disturbing stories… About a _human_ preacher who ministers to vampires." Mick's eyebrows rose. "I see you're intrigued. So was I, but not in a good way. I want you to check him out, find out what he's up to and why he's so fascinated with us. Like there's not enough human sinners to keep 'em all busy," Josef pronounced disgustedly.

"You're thinking maybe he performs baptism by fire, to save our immortal souls?"

"Given our past relationship with the clergy, that wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility, now would it? We've always had to deal with the religious freaks out to 'save us.'"

_But as I got the rest of the details from Josef, I couldn't help wondering… what if they're right?_

XXX

_Beth's V/O:_

_Sometimes life is like a roller coaster. You're on a wild ride. You can't see the crazy turns coming, but you know they're ahead, all you can do is hang on tight and get through them one at a time. But even through the motion sickness, and the terrifying speeds, you feel a thrill down deep in your quivering belly, and your eyes are bright with excitement. When the ride finally stops, your knees wobble and you're dizzy, but exhilarated, tingly all over and feeling alive like you've never felt before. You stagger back to the beginning of the line, anxious to experience the whole thing over again. That's my life, these past few whirlwind months. And I wouldn't trade it for anything._

Beth stared at her full coffee cup disgustedly, fighting down another round of nausea. She was tired and irritable, seeing as how she didn't seem to be friends with coffee these days. Coffee withdrawal was _not_ a pretty sight.

Maureen came by and seeing her distress, stopped at the desk. "You okay, sweetie?"

Beth shook her head. "Still fighting that stomach bug. " She pushed the cup aside.

Her boss gave her a speculating gaze. "You know… when my sister was pregnant, she couldn't stand even the smell of coffee."

Beth stared at her. "Mo! I'm not pregnant," she said firmly.

"I'm just saying. Throwing up in the morning, sensitivity to certain foods…" She patted Beth on the shoulder, and tapped the picture of Mick that sat at the corner of Beth's desk as she passed.

Mo's words rang in her ears, and with growing alarm Beth started adding things up: stupid – she'd _never_ considered the possibility, vampire, it was a given that this _wasn't_ going to happen… but it did, that's how she'd come into the world herself. Vamp father/human mother. For all she knew, it was easier for an HB. With Josh of course they'd used birth control; her and Mick had happened so fast she just hadn't even thought of it. She wasn't on the pill; due to her mother's death from cancer and several other risk factors in her family, she'd made the decision to use other forms of birth control. Now…

Her hand flew to her mouth as it sunk in. With shaky hands, she picked up the phone and dialed her doctor to make an appointment. No sense putting it off, she had to know, but she wasn't trusting this to a home test. Besides, she really was feeling poorly lately, so an exam was a good idea. Mick had actually been bugging her about it, mother hen that he was.

She was in luck, a last minute cancellation for that afternoon meant she didn't have to wait. She took it.

XXX

Beth was back at work later when the phone rang. It was Mick.

"Hey, where've you been? I've been trying to reach you."

He'd know something was up anyway. So, a half truth, for now. "At the doctors. Getting checked out for that bug I've had."

"Good," he said in an approving voice. "What'd he say?"

"It's going around. But I had a bunch of tests, you know, make sure everything's okay. What's up?"

"Just wondering if you wanted to join me on a case – but before you say yes, you should know there's upwards of a 99 chance there's _no_ possibility of a story out of it."

"Then why call me?" she said with smile, knowing the answer.

"We're a good team. Besides, having the 'human' perspective is always a help. I think you'll find it very interesting."

"Okay, where and when?" Like always, the prospect of working with Mick had fired up her excitement immediately.

"I'll pick you up in twenty minutes."

XXX

"So what's the case?" Beth asked, after collecting her 'hello' kiss and hopping in Mick's car.

"Josef is all up in the air about some minister, who supposedly counsels vampires."

"Sounds controversial," she noted.

"He's worried this guy may be a Van Helsing type."

Beth's eyes widened. "I'm glad you called me to come with you."

These days she was nearly as protective of him as he was of her. He smiled and reached over to squeeze her hand.

"We've never discussed the religion thing," she began.

"Everyone knows two subjects people shouldn't ever discuss," Mick cut in. "Politics and religion."

"Yeah," she agreed,"much better to stick with _safe_ subjects: like vampires, and stalking, and crazy ex-wives, and obsessions…"

"Do we _talk_ about those?"

"As little as possible," she admitted.

"We're psychically connected; we don't have to use words."

She shook her head with a wry grin, and then pinched him, hard, in the arm. "Wise ass."

_That's how much you know,_ she thought to herself. _Just because we can sense each other's feelings doesn't mean we can't keep things from each other. Thankfully._ She didn't want to bring up the subject of her pregnancy test with him till she had the results. For several reasons. For one thing, she needed time to come to terms with it herself. The idea of being a mother was just about as far from her mind as the idea of getting married had been – but look, she was engaged now, too. One of the issues she's used with Josh when they broke up was that they wanted different things, he wanted a wife and kids, she had no desire to go there yet. She'd never considered those things an issue with Mick. She supposed she should have seen it coming though. These were the major things he felt robbed of by Coraline, the things he mourned. Seems like she couldn't say no to Mick, she'd do anything to make him happy. If anyone deserved happiness it was Mick St. John. It had become her mission in life to make that happen. Funny how different things looked when it was the person you were in love with. If she'd ever doubted what she felt for Josh hadn't been real love, now it was abundantly obvious.

XXX

The Church of Sanctuary was a simple store-front in downtown L.A., but inside had been tastefully and reverently decorated with familiar objects to the believers. A cross held a prominent place on the wall. A table full of bibles, free to worshippers, sat to the far side. Rows of plastic chairs substituted for pews. Reverend Robert Autun had done the best he could with what he had.

As they entered and found themselves seats in the back, Mick noted the presence of both human and vampire, but mostly vamp. That surprised him. There were about twenty people total. These were evening services, obviously geared towards those who walk the night.

"At least tell me what religion you were," Beth whispered to him, "It might be relevant to the case."

"You had a problem with talking in church as a child too, didn't you?" he whispered back, her blush told him he was right. "Catholic."

She refrained from whistling. That explained a lot of things…

The Reverend was just finishing up his services. "And let us never forget the most important thing we should take from the teachings of Jesus: love. Love everyone as ourselves, and love ourselves in respect to He who gives us life… and death. We are all doing His work, whether we know it or not. Everything that happens is in accordance with His will. _Everything_. Believe that. Jesus turns no one away, not lepers, nor prostitutes, nor the undead."

_Pretty words._ Mick wondered if the Reverend believed them. It was certainly a radical departure from the traditional church opinion of vampires.

"On that note, let us pray… Father, help us to understand our purpose in this life, and help us bear our burdens and turn them into gifts in Your honor. Lift us up from our misery and pain. Help us resist temptation, and live our lives as example to others of what God's love can do. In Jesus name we pray, Amen."

"Amen," the congregation echoed.

"That concludes our services for tonight. Peace be with you all."

The people began filing out, some of them staying to speak briefly with Autun. Mick and Beth waited patiently for everyone to leave. When the church was finally empty, they approached him themselves.

"Reverend Autun. May we speak with you?" Mick asked.

"Of course," he said, looking them over speculatively. "I don't turn anyone away either."

"Yeah, that's the part that interests me," Mick said. "About not turning _anyone_ away…"

Mick could sense the preacher's nervousness. "It would help if you told me who sent you." Obviously this guy had some sort of code set up with his vampire flock. The guy was careful – not careful enough, though.

"You don't know him. But we're here to talk about the others you say Jesus doesn't turn away. The undead."

"What do you know of them?" Autun countered.

"Oh for god's sake," Beth cut in annoyed, interrupting their poor attempt at cloak and dagger. "We know you run a church for vampires. We just want to talk to you about that."

They both looked at her.

"Is one of you…?" Autun began.

"Yes one of us is, and one of us isn't. It doesn't matter which is which," Mick told him.

"I'm sorry; you have to understand my need to be careful. The secret must stay safe, for the protection of my parishoners. "

"There are some people who think the best way to save the soul of a vampire is to destroy them," Mick said.

The Reverend's expression took a hard edge. "I don't believe in destroying anything that God created, I generally don't meddle in God's plans. I'm just a human, a sinner whose job is to accept His will."

"You don't actually believe _God_ created vampires?" Mick barked in disbelief.

_Uh oh_, Beth thought, _here's why people shouldn't discuss religion_. It was already getting heated, and they'd barely started. Good thing he had her along, indeed. Hanging with Mick she was becoming quite a skilled referee.

"I'm radical; I make no excuses for that. There are some who would see me stoned for those beliefs. Let me give you an extreme example of what I mean by _everyone_ fulfilling God's mission. Judas. He's the man who turned Jesus into the authorities, leading to his dying on the cross. But what if there was no Judas? He was _necessary_. He had to do what he did, in order that Jesus die, to fulfill the prophesy and save us all. I don't condone evil, but I accept the place it has in our world."

"You're not saying all vampires are evil, are you?" Beth asked.

"That's how many people perceive them, including themselves. No, it's not my personal opinion. I believe our task in life is to take what's been given to us, our lot in life if you wish, and make something good of it. Look for ways to praise Him with our lives no matter _what_ they are."

"Hmm." Mick muttered, clearly not very convinced. "So you preach the Word to vampires, so you can help them, what's the phrase, accept Jesus and get born again? Does it make them human again, does Jesus heal them too?" he almost spat, angrily.

"You must be the vampire," Autun noted with a gentle smile. "I've seen the self-condemnation before. Many people feel they have no need for spirituality in their lives. Whether I personally believe in that or not, I respect their wishes. I'm not here to force anyone to believe the way I do. It's not my job to convert people, just to plant a seed. I'm not the one who does the converting – that's up to a higher authority. However, others _are_ in need of the comfort and acceptance Jesus can bring. That's who I'm here to serve."

"You minister to the outcasts that other churches wouldn't accept?" Beth concluded. "Like the gays and lesbians who are often rejected by their church, that can find gay-friendly houses of worship."

He nodded. "Jesus is the ultimate lover of outcasts, isn't he? How can I do any less?"

Mick was looking slightly mollified. "So that's all you're here to do. Talk to them about Jesus."

"Many vamps have the same questions you do. Am I damned? Do I still have a soul? Will I go to hell if I'm ever killed? Especially for the ones who were religious as human, it can be devastating. My own personal theory is that's why so many of them turn amoral. When society brands you as something, in this case, inhuman damned, it's very easy to start believing that about yourself. When you believe it, you start acting it. But I've seen too many good, decent vampires to believe that myself."

"Someone in particular?" Mick queried, realizing the Rev's feeling ran too deep over this issue, it had to be personal.

"It would help if I knew who I was talking to," Autun answered with another smile.

"Mick St. John. I'm a private investigator, hired to make sure you aren't sacrificing vampires to your god." He gestured to Beth,"this is—"

"I'm Beth Turner," she cut in, holding out her hand to shake. "Mick's fiancée." She felt adding a personal touch would help smooth things.

"Saint John? You're a private detective?" Autun asked. His eyes had lit up, almost as if he were near tears. "Praise Jesus," he breathed, as Beth and Mick traded puzzled looks. "It's a miracle!"

"Excuse me?" Mick said.

"I'm sorry, you don't understand. You're a vampire PI. You've been sent to me, it's an answer to my prayers. You can help me find my brother. He's a vampire, and he's been missing for two months."

_Pete_! The name burst involuntarily into Mick's mind. He rubbed a hand over his face to compose himself. A quick glance at Beth told him she's made the same connection as well.

"Oh my god," Beth couldn't help murmur. During the late 70's/early 80's Mick had played in a rock band, The Nighttrollers. Their bassist, Pete, had a brother who was a vampire and had gone missing. Pete died in a bar fight, never knowing if his brother was okay or not. Later, the brother had come after Mick for revenge, blaming him for Pete's death. This case with its missing vampire brother, touching so close to the regret he held about what had happened back then, could help Mick make amends for that. To get peace.

Rev. Autun took Beth's shoulders gently, still overcome with emotion. "You see how God works?" he said emphatically.

"I thought it was just destiny, fate. _Coincidence_."

Autun laughed delightedly. "Now you see the truth about just whose hand it really is in our lives! Coincidence has a name, my child."

"Okay, calm down there, don't go prostrate on us." Mick cut in, obviously still a skeptic, unwilling to be carried away by emotions that flew in the face of logic.

"But you'll help me find my brother?"

Mick nodded, almost reluctantly. "We'll help you."

"And maybe I can help you, as well."

XXX

"You know," Beth said speculatively, after they'd gotten all the information from Autun, and driven away from the church. "It occurs to me that since we need someone to marry us, and Rev. Autun is a vamp-friendly minister…" He would be the perfect choice.

"Can we not do this now?" Mick said, feeling like he was about to get a huge headache, except for the fact vamps didn't get headaches. He'd had more than he could take of religion for one day. It all still had him reeling, although he didn't want to admit to it.

"It's okay to believe," she whispered, taking his hand and holding it tightly.

"In what, religion?"

"No. In happiness."

He sighed, resigned to discussing it. "When you've lived with misery for over fifty years, it's a hard habit to break." They were quiet for the next few minutes, until he'd pulled into the garage of his building and parked.

As soon as the engine was off, Beth knelt on the seat, getting as close to him as she could without sitting in his lap. "Well, I don't think you're gonna get a choice, the universe is forcing happiness on you whether you like it or not."

His arms went around her, hands unable to help themselves from sliding under her ass. "It's just…religion, it's a touchy subject with me," he admitted.

"No shit," she snorted, nuzzling at his neck, getting a surprised chuckle out of him.

"We're in a public parking garage," he told her, feeling her roaming hands scorch him straight through his clothing.

"Then we'd better get upstairs," she answered. "Because I have an overwhelming desire to make love with my man, and I'll do it right here if I have to."

"You scandalize me," he told her. Then, taking advantage of his superior vamp-speed, picked her up and whisked her upstairs to the apartment, basking in her delighted laughter the whole way.

XXX

Maybe there _was_ salvation for Mick St. John. Making love with Beth it was inevitable those kind of thoughts would come up. Yes, he felt vampy at times when the passion overwhelmed him, and there had even been a few times fangs were used. But he'd been expecting so much worse. Somehow, being with Beth, he felt and acted so much like a man, less like a vampire. What miracle was this she brought to his life?

"Penny for your thoughts?" she said, her hands caressing his bare chest as they lay together in bed afterwards.

He cupped her face in his hands. "Just wondering what miracle brought you to me," he admitted.

"Ah, so you do believe."

"Not like I have a choice," he answered, kissing her.

XXX

_Yeah, I know I did it again. Having unprotected sex with Mick again, while still worried if I'm pregnant and not certain I'm happy about the prospect. Looks like everything else in our lives, it will be up to fate. Obviously I can't start asking him to use birth control suddenly without starting a discussion I don't want to have yet. And forget resisting him: not gonna work, not an option. Guess maybe the answer to my dilemma comes quicker and easier than I expected. I could have gotten a 'scrip for the pill -- its not like I have to be worried about getting a terminal illness anymore, now that I have…options for avoiding that sort of thing. Didn't think of that, either. Maybe it's just that Mick renders me unable to use my brain. Turns my brain cells to mush? But look at him -- can you blame me?!_

_We split up the next day, Mick checking out some contacts the Reverend had given him, friends of Daniel Autun, places he frequented, things like that. I went to Buzzwire and began research to see if I could get any clues to his whereabouts. Autun wasn't a common name, surely I'd be able to find something. I felt a little guilty pretending to Maureen that I had a possible lead on a story, but I hoped something would come of it I could use, as it so often did. If my luck held… _

XXX

Mick's first stop of the day was to make his report to Josef.

"You're sure he's on the up and up?" Josef asked, a bit skeptically.

"Yes, Mr. Paranoia. From everything I've gotten, he honestly believes in what he preaches, and is trying to help vampires find spiritual peace."

"Just when you think you've lived so long _nothing_ can surprise you…"

"Yeah, uh, speaking of surprises—or not. I've got something I need to ask you."

"Okay," he said a bit guarded.

Mick reached in his pocket, taking out the jewelry box with ring he bought for Beth and passed it over.

When Josef opened the box, his eyes widened. "Why Mick, this is so sudden," he quipped. "I never expected a proposal, but shouldn't you be on one knee?"

Mick threw a pillow from the chair at him. "Ha ha. I bought it for Beth. I wanted to ask you if you… if you'd… be my best man," he finally managed to get out.

"Wow. You're really going for the whole thing, aren't you," Josef observed quietly.

"You know me. Wasn't it inevitable?"

"I'd be honored to be your best man," Josef said, and from emotion in his voice it was obvious he really meant it. He tossed the pillow back at Mick. "Does it mean I get to throw you a bachelor party?" he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

And Mick uttered a word he rarely used anymore, but sometimes it was just the only one that fit. "Oh, God…"

XXX

Beth tapped her pencil against the desk, deep in thought. She'd managed to track Daniel to New Jersey, there the trail had stopped. That was the last time he'd used his Visa card. Daniel Autun disappeared off the face of the earth after that. _He has to be somewhere. _Tap tap tap_. What if he's using an assumed name? People in hiding usually do. Does that make it impossible to trace him? _Tap tap tap._ Vampires change their names often through the decades, as they move from place to place, but from what I've seen they usually keep their names fairly close to the original. _Tap tap tap._ Josef Konstintin/Konstan. Mick St. John/Micky Johns. Aldo Turner/Tillerman._

"That's it!" she exclaimed loudly to herself, ignoring the looks she got from others in the office. She snatched up the phone, punching in a number and waiting impatient for an answer. Finally, the call was answered. "Hey Josef, it's Beth. I'm helping Mick on the case you hired him for. I need to speak to Ryder." There was a computer expert at Buzz Wire, but she didn't want to involve anyone there, since there was so far no "cover case". Being about a missing vampire, better to keep it in the community.

"Ryder? It's Beth Turner. Yeah, the one with the sexy voice. I need you to do something for me…"

XXX

Mick was frustrated. He was getting nowhere. No one had seen Daniel in weeks, it seemed the man hadn't been anywhere or contacted anyone he knew. So he was grateful to get the call from Beth, saying she'd found something and would meet him at his office. She'd sounded excited, but wouldn't say anything more over the phone.

When he let himself into the office, Beth was sitting at the desk, leaning back to look up at him. _Damn she looks good, sitting behind my desk. _Had to admit, he liked her there. How he loved having this woman in his life...

"I found him!" she crowed.

One eyebrow rose. "Mr. St. John, you've changed! Are you doing something different with your hair, perhaps?" He pulled her out of the chair and sat down himself, but before she could go far he pulled her down onto his lap, his arms securely around her. "You're kidding, you really found him already?"

She began telling him the story, obviously pleased with herself. "He took a flight from LAX to EWR, that's the last of Daniel Autun anywhere."

"EWR?"

"Newark airport, New Jersey. From there he dropped out of sight. However, I realized that vampires seem to have a habit of keeping a variation of their names, so I talked to Ryder."

"So, now you're just using all my contacts too," he teased, enjoying her excitement.

"Hey, you asked me to help you on this case. So anyway, I had him do a computer search using all possible variations on the name Daniel Autun, focusing on New Jersey, to start. We found a Dan Alton in a hotel in downtown Newark. He checked in the same day the flight landed, and it looks like he's still there."

"Feel like a trip to beautiful downtown Newark?" he asked as they both got up.

"Absolutely. Will you call the reverend and tell him?"

"Not yet, wait till we talk to Daniel and find out what's going on." Beth nodded in understanding. "You're gonna make a great PI someday," he told her, patting her on the cheek as he passed her on the way into the apartment.

She stared after him, please, delighted, and amazed. _Someday? PI?_ Was it just a joke, or could that be a hint of his changing attitude about their future? She knew she wouldn't be able to be a reporter, especially in front of the camera, forever. While she loved being a reporter, as long as she got her Pulitzer before, she was looking forward to her new life with Mick. Being a PI was just as exciting.

She glanced at the frosted glass of the office door as she left to get ready for the trip, imagining a slight change in the words...

_St. John and St. John_

_Private Investigators_

She shook off the flight of fancy, and forced her mind back to the job at hand. _Newark here we come._

XXX

Their flight was uneventful, and before long they were in a cab on the way to the hotel, Grand Broad Hotel, was its proud name. It was off Broad Street, near Penn Station, and was a typical, cheap, flea bag hotel.

Stepping inside, Beth wrinkled her nose at the smell that assaulted it, wondering what Mick must have to deal with, with his acute senses.

Mick stepped up to the desk, addressing the totally disinterested looking clerk. "We're looking for Dan Alton; we'd like to know what room he's in please?" His gaze hardened a bit, not liking the way the clerk was eying Beth appreciatively.

"Sorry, can't give out room numbers. You could call him." He paused for dramatic effect. "'Cept we don't have any phones in the rooms."

Mick casually slid a fifty dollar bill towards the guy. "I'm sorry; I must have been speaking too low. We'd like to know what room Dan Alton is in, please."

"101. Up the stairs and all the way in the back."

"He doesn't care _why_ we're here for Dan, does he?" Beth asked disgustedly, as they made their way up the stairs.

"Don't ask don't tell is not just for the military, you know."

As they approached the door to 101, Mick motioned for her to stay back and quiet, as he listened. After a moment he gave a nod, and tried the handle, expecting to have to pick the lock, but finding it wasn't locked. They moved cautiously inside.

Daniel lay on the dingy bed in the rundown room. Mick's brow furrowed as he took in the scene with his senses, realizing with alarm what was going on.

Even Beth seemed to tell Daniel was in bad shape. "What's wrong with—"she started to say, but Mick shushed her, and pulled her out the door into the hall again.

"You need to leave."

"But what's—" she started to say again, but subsided at the look he gave her.

"Now," he emphasized, practically dragging her all the way downstairs and outside onto the sidewalk.

"Okay Mick, what's going on?"

He swallowed, and looked away a moment. "He hasn't fed in… a couple of days."

"How long can vampires go without?" she asked, realizing how much she still had to learn about them.

"Under normal circumstances, maybe four days, depending. Can't really say since it's rare to get that far. A vampire that hasn't fed in that long is very dangerous. There's almost no control in that condition."

"So why didn't he…you know, get something?"

Mick closed his eyes, remembering what he'd felt in that room. Despair, shame, guilt. All things he knew intimately himself. "How could he be so stupid," Mick began, not answering her question directly. "You want to end it, you have someone chop off your head, or jump into a fire or something. This is not the way."

Beth's eyes widened in shock at the realization of what Mick was saying. It was an attempted suicide. She glanced back at the motel, then back to Mick. "Can you help him?"

He seemed to brace himself for something, and then took Beth firmly by the shoulders. "There's a Hilton over at Penn Station. I want you to go there and wait for me."

"Hell, no," she said vehemently. "You know better than to try and send me away."

He shook his head. "I'm serious here, Beth. Daniel is _not_ me, and I don't know him. I want you safe, and I want you away from here. This is not negotiable."

"If I said no?" she asked, curious.

"We both leave right now, and get on a plane home."

_Wow_. He'd let Daniel die – or worse, be a danger to humans and the vampire secret. That told her how serious Mick was. She put a hand on his arm. "Okay, but there is a condition. I want you to tell me _exactly_ what you're going to do after I'm gone."

Mick looked away to avoid meeting her eyes. _Bingo_. So it wasn't just about her being in danger from a hungry vampire. "Let it be," he whispered. "Please."

She physically turned his head back to face her. "I can't, just like you can't let me stay. I love you, Mick. I want to know, and you need to tell me."

"He needs blood," Mick began as if the words were being forced out of him. "Every second goes by he's a danger to himself and others." She nodded to let him know she understood. "I don't have contacts in this city," he explained desperately. "I can't just walk into the morgue and buy some blood, and I wouldn't even know where to find a willing freshie."

"Oh." She was beginning to see where this was going, and why he didn't want to tell her.

"Yeah, _oh_," he spat angrily.

She reached up again and cradled his face, forcing him to look at her and held his gaze calmly. "And where do you think you'll get this blood?"

The anguish in his expression almost broke her heart. She knew he desperately wanted to look away, but she refused to let him. "I was thinking I'd find," he cleared his throat, "they've got a big problem with crime here, shouldn't be too hard to find an… unwilling donor that could save someone for a change instead of killing."

"Will he be killed?" she asked in the same level tone.

"No! I… there's always risk involved in these circumstances, but—"

"But you'll do everything you _humanly_ can to make sure that doesn't happen," she finished for him.

He tried to shake his head but she was holding it steady. "Or I could just help Daniel finish what he's trying to do."

"No. He needs help, and he deserves a chance. You can't kill him without a good reason." And that would be almost a repeat of Pete and his brother again. She also knew not to even offer her own blood. 

Somehow she knew he couldn't let another vamp touch her now, even if he was willing to take the risk. "This is the only way," she concluded practically. "You have to do it." He looked at her a little helplessly, as she pulled his head down and kissed a tear from his cheek.

He grabbed her and hugged her so hard she was starting to worry about ribs. Then kissed her just as hard.

"You be careful!" she demanded when they broke apart, resting her hand on his chest. "And call me as soon as you can, so I can stop worrying."

He found a grin. "Anything else, boss?"

"Yeah. I love you."

"I love you," he told her.

XXX

To Mick's relief, it didn't take long to find what he was looking for. He ducked into the alley behind the hotel, staying in the shadows and keeping his ears and eyes open. He saw two gang members sitting on a fire escape, one bragging about a killing he'd made the night before. Mick could still smell the dead man's blood on him, must have missed a spot when he cleaned up.

_Are predators who prey on other predators any better? Should my guilt really be assuaged now that I found a suitably "worthy" victim?_

Quicker than a flash, he had knocked out one, then grabbed the other's gun and stuck it in his ribs. It was disgustingly easy. He remembered now, that had always been the problem. How easy to prey on these fragile humans who thought they were invincible.

"You shut up and come with me, and you live."

The guy complied, but of course had a few choice comments about how his bros weren't gonna let Mick get away with this, etc. He had no idea what he was getting into, etc. Mick handcuffed the guy with his own cuffs. Nice of the banger to conveniently provide all the props he needed.

Mick took the fire escape back into the hotel, leading the gang member into Daniel's room.

"What the hell's going on here, man," the kid said when they were in the room. "I mean, it's no skin off my nose since you're a dead man and all, but I was just wonderin'."

"Funny you should mention that, because you're right, I am a dead man. So's he," Mick gestured to the man in the bed, who was starting to move around restlessly. "We need you to do us a favor."

"You're loco, man!"

"Probably," Mick agreed pleasantly. Then he grabbed the guy roughly, and forced him over to the bed. Ripping up his sleeve, he held the arm close to Daniel's mouth.

"What the hell are you—" words trailed off as the vampire, having smelled the fresh blood, starting coming to consciousness, still very out of it. Fangs extended involuntarily.

The kid started struggling but Mick held him firm. "Do as I say, and you _will_ get out of this alive," Mick hissed at him.

"I know what you are," the kid spat. "Vampires!" If Mick was impressed by how fast he caught on, the next words chilled him instead. "We know what you are. Me and the boys already did a few 'a _you_, and we'll finish the rest too."

_What the hell?_

Then Daniel finally took the bait and sunk his teeth in. The banger's words dried up after a very un-gang like squeak. Daniel still wasn't really conscious yet, his actions mostly instinctive.

The waiting was the longest Mick had ever had to endure, but he forced himself to keep track of how much blood Daniel was taking. He'd never had to do this before, force feed a vamp. His thoughts turned to remembering the woman Coraline had brought to him that first time. Innocent, scared to death… And Mick had fed. He could still feel her terror, the beginning of his damnation. Now here he was, doing almost the same thing. It sickened him, even if it was just a callous murderer. Who was _he_, to judge?

The gang member was swearing at him steadily, threatening all sorts of things. Mick let Daniel take more than the Red Cross would have; he figured it might be a good idea if the kid was a bit weak afterward.

"Daniel!" he began trying to reach the vampire. "Daniel Autun – your brother sent me. Robert!"

Dan looked up suddenly, blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth. "Bobby?" he asked in voice of returning sanity.

"Bobby sent me to find you," Mick agreed.

Abruptly taking in the scene with finally alert eyes, he wrenched himself away from the kid and scrambled to the head of bed. "What have you done!" he yelled at Mick. "How could you do this to me?!"

"Saving your life, you're welcome," Mick answered dryly.

"Vampy's signed his death warrant, that's what he did," the kid taunted.

"Did I ask you to?!" Daniel was still irate. "How could you damn me again?!"

"Don't worry, we're gonna send you all to hell!" the gang member said.

Daniel was yelling at Mick. The gang banger was yelling at Mick. And his cell phone started to ring; he knew it was Beth demanding to know what was happening.

"No good deed goes unpunished, does it?" Mick said to himself. Without preliminary he delivered a punch that knocked the gang banger out, just to keep him quiet for awhile. He needed to think. Then he turned to Autun. "Please shut up, or I'll stake you to shut you up!"

Daniel seemed a bit shocked, but did as told, just glaring at him. He was able to answer the phone. Beth began talking, but he interrupted before she barely started. "Yes, dear, I'm fine."

Nonplussed was the feeling that came through the phone. "What if it had been Josef?" she finally asked after a pause.

"You're not Josef!" he exclaimed as if expected it to be him.

"Very funny."

"Everything's fine, I'm fine, Daniel is fine, although he's not too please with me right now. But I'm really in the middle of something now, can I call you back?"

"In the middle of—what's going on _now_?"

Mick rubbed hand over face. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"I could be of help," she suggested hopefully. "In talking to Dan."

"If I need you, I'll call you. Just some loose ends to tie up, okay? Sit tight. Did you get a room?"

"Hell, yes. _Suite_ 1204. And I ordered lobster from room service, and a really filthy pay-per-view to get me in the mood for when you come back. Oh, and did I mention I used your credit card?"

"Good thing I got rich off Josef's investments," he quipped right back. "Have two lobsters." As he hung up he caught some words that were distinctly unladylike.

"She's coming over," he told Dan will the certainty of knowing Beth.

"Who?"

"My fiancée. "

"You're getting married?" Mick nodded. "Is she a—"

"Human."

Dan stared at him in shock. "And she knows?"

"She accepts me for what I am," he said by way of answer. "Do you know what a stupid stunt you pulled? Starvation is _not_ a way of vampire suicide."

"No, it's not like that!" he denied. "I wasn't trying to starve myself."

"Then what the hell were you doing?" Mick demanded.

"I just wanted to… weaken myself. So that when…" he trailed off reluctantly.

"When what?!"

"When they came for me, I wouldn't be able to fight back," he nodded at the unconscious banger.

Mick followed his look. "You mean it's true? There's a street gang here preying on vampires? And you knew about it??"

"They're not going to tell our secret," he said tiredly. "They keep everyone's secrets, because they have so many of their own."

"So you were planning to let them kill you, and go on killing other vamps?"

Daniel shrugged. "What are our lives worth? We're not even really alive."

Mick was saved from having to answer by a groan from the unconscious banger. He hauled him up. "Okay, wakey, wakey." He slapped his face a couple of times to get him alert. "What's your name?"

"Carlos," the kid answered, still groggy.

"Nice to meet you, Carlos. I have just a couple of questions for you. What's your gang's name?"

"Nightwalkers." Then he shook it off and revived some. "And we're gonna—"

"I know, I know, "Mick cut him off, "kill us all. Tell you what, how about you tell me where your gang hangs out, and I won't kill _you_?"

The kid, getting cocky again, spit in his face.

"I asked you nicely." Mick let himself vamp out, baring his fangs and getting up close in the guy's face. He was glad to see fear finally surfacing – the effect doesn't work if they're not afraid of you. "You think it felt good, what he did to your arm, but it's gonna hurt like a mother when I rip your throat out, I promise," he growled. "You'll die slowly, and have lots of time to feel every trickle of your blood as it all drains out of your body. Unless I decide to drink it." He licked his lips.

"Fred's auto parts shop, fifth and Market," Carlos answered, finally losing his nerve.

"One more question, "the vamp said, tilting his head to the side. "Who are your arch enemies?"

"Doc Feelgood," Carlos answered quickly this time. "Their HQ is over near the airport, behind Scottie's Pawn Shop."

"You've been very helpful," Mick told him, and then choked him out, ripped a piece of the bed sheet off and gagged him with it. Then he trussed up his legs as well, and shoved him into the closet, pushing the chair against door to further keep him confined. They were about to have a visitor, and he wasn't taking _any_ chances.

"What are you gonna do?" Daniel asked him.

Before Mick could answer, there was a soft knock at the door. He went and opened it, shaking his head at Beth.

"You don't seem surprised to see me," she noted.

"I'm not. Daniel, this is Beth," he introduced.

"Hi Daniel. I'm glad to see you feeling better."

"Uh, hi."

"So, did you tie up your lose ends?" she asked.

"Not quite yet. The uh, donor is tied up in there," he motioned to the closet.

"That's the loose end?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that. Seems we stumbled upon a street gang that knows about vampires and is out to exterminate us."

"Shit. What are you gonna do?" she asked, fearfully, probably worried he was planning to go after them all, single-handedly.

"I don't see any good way out of this. I was gonna sic their rival gang on them. Then call the police when they start to rumble. At least they'd be in jail for awhile."

"Yeah, but how long?" she asked.

"I can't kill them all."

"I didn't ask you to," she pointed out.

"I know some vamps here," Dan put in. "I could warn them, let them know what's going on. Let them handle it, it's their turf anyway."

"Oh, _now_ you wanna help?" Mick asked disgustedly.

Beth was looking from one to the other confusedly. Mick answered her unspoken question. "He knew about them and didn't tell anybody. He was starving himself so he'd be weak enough that they could finish him off without too much of a fight."

"How could you do that?" she demanded.

"We're only—"

"_Only vampires_?" she said fiercely. She grabbed Mick's sleeve and pulled him closer. "This man is only a vampire. But he's the most caring, loving, wonderful person I've even known. I've known him 22 years, and he's devoted his life to helping others, to protecting people. He'd give his own life to save a woman or child in peril. He refuses to feed even from his own fiancée, he's spend the last twenty some years drinking blood from a bag. The idea of taking some murderous street thug to be an unwilling donor to save your life brought him to tears. If every human in this world were like _him_ this would be a perfect place to live. So don't talk to me about "only vampires." We all make choices about how to behave in our lives. You can choose to be a bad vampire or a good one. Unless you're feral, which you're not, you can learn to control yourself."

Daniel was silent a moment. "Her name is Sharon," he finally whispered.

Didn't take a genius to figure out what was probably coming next. Beth found Mick's hand and held it.

"I used to tease her and call her 'My Sharona," you know like that stupid old song. She'd get mad and hit me on the arm… I loved her so much," he told them voice breaking. "So much I started to believe… to believe all that _crap_ my brother was spouting about Jesus loving and forgiving even us. It gave me _hope_," he said it like it was a dirty word. "So I took a chance."

"You told her you were a vampire," Mick surmised.

"She, she freaked out on me. Said I was a horrible monster, and, and what I saw in her eyes – she was afraid of me. Told me I'd betrayed her, and destroyed her…" He looked Mick in the eye. "You're engaged to a human. So you know how it feels to love that much?"

He squeezed Beth's hand. "Yes," quietly. "It was my biggest fear. Still is, sometimes even now," he admitted, looking at her and knowing they were both thinking of the conversation outside the hotel earlier. He met Dan's eyes again with a naked honesty that was stunning in its intensity. "I've lived for Beth for the past twenty two years. She's the reason I'm here." He heard Beth's almost silent gasp but didn't look. "But I was wrong."

_Huh_? Beth stared at him.

"You need to find something inside _yourself_ to live for. Don't you listen to any of those sermons your brother preaches? I _know_ what you're going through more than anyone you may ever meet, so if you don't listen to anyone else, listen to me. You didn't see her horror of you in her eyes – you saw your own horror of yourself reflected back at you. Give yourself another chance. Go back, talk to Bobby. Let him counsel you, I have a feeling he'd pretty persuasive, if he knows exactly what he's dealing with. It's not gonna be easy, and it's gonna take a long time, but I believe it can be done. At least you had the courage to _try_. I never did."

Mick saw the question in Daniel's eyes. He glanced at Beth as he answered it. "I didn't tell her what I was, she found out on her own. There are other humans who know and accept us. Maybe Sharon wasn't the "one". Maybe there's someone else out there for you, a wonderful woman who will love you for who and what you are, and accept the bad with the good. You need to make the choice. To have hope. And faith in something bigger than us. Something even more 'top of the food chain' than vamps," he joked. Feeling Beth's stare grow even more amazed at his words, he kept his eyes on Dan.

"And, I don't want to give you false hope but I could maybe talk to Sharon," Beth offered. "Maybe she's just scared because she doesn't understand. You probably were too upset to explain things to her properly. It might help if she could talk to someone who's in a relationship with a vampire."

"You'd do that for me?" Dan asked incredulously.

"I'd be happy to," she answered. "And if nothing came of it, at least you'd have some closure, you'd be able to go on from there."

"Thank you."

"—Do you guys ever actually date other _vampires_, or do you all have a fascination with human women?" she couldn't help but ask them.

"Well, I can't speak for Daniel, but my one experience with that didn't turn out so well," Mick answered. "But I'm sure next time it'll be different." Before she could even form a response to that bomb he'd dropped (_he really is teasing me_), Mick changed the subject. "Okay, hate to break this up, but we've got a vampire killing street gang to deal with."

XXX

Their plan in place, Mick took Carlos back to the street where he found him, and dropped him off. He contacted the Doc Feelgoods, and told them the Nightwalkers were planning a big hit on them that very night, letting them know where to find the rival gang.

As expected, the Feelgoods chose to hit first. Once the vicious fight was in full swing (Beth getting some exclusive pix of the whole thing for a Buzz Wire story), they made an anonymous call to the police. As the cops rounded everyone up, Daniel advised his vampire friends in New Jersey of the threat in their midst. They'd done all they could do.

XXX

Mick and Beth finally arrived back at their suite. Dan was getting some rest at his hotel, and would return to L.A. with them the next day.

Mick shrugged out of his coat, exhausted, wishing the suite included a freezer. He took note of the room service cart still by the door, remains of a lobster abandoned. "Holy crap, you weren't kidding."

"You should know me better than that." She came to him and put her arms around him. "I won't leave next time," she told him. "It felt _wrong_."

"I know," he told her with a resigned sigh. He buried his face in her hair. "I love you more every day." At this point he was dismayed to notice he was leaning, her practically holding him up.

Beth noticed. "You need to get some rest," she said. "Are _you_ okay? You haven't fed since before we left the apartment for our flight."

"I'll be fine," he said with a small, almost secretive smile. "What I really need now is a nice cold shower."

Mick had just stepped inside and was enjoying the icy drops on his skin when the curtain parted, and she joined him. "Beth, its cold!" he reminded her.

"Not so bad," she answered, drawing her arms around him and pressing close.

It reminded him of the time she was walking through that cold fountain, the first time she'd seen him since he'd saved her. Still, that was just a fountain. "Maybe being half vamp gives you a higher tolerance for the cold," he mused, but unobtrusively turned up the hot water a bit anyway.

"Maybe. Do you need to get _clean_?" she picked up the soap and began lathering up his body.

"I don't think this water's gonna stay cold very long," he observed, inching up the cold tap again. At this rate it would be steamy in no time. "Did you rent the dirty pay-per-view too?" he asked, pulling her wet body tight against his wet, soapy one.

"I said it was a filthy pay-per-view," she corrected, slipping her tongue in his ear.

"I stand corrected."

"You won't be _standing_ for long," she promised.

"I'm scandalized again," he 'complained' with a grin.

"You're easily scandalized," she told him, sliding down his body to her goal.

Yes, he was. But he _did_ manage to remain standing. Just barely.

XXX

Tucked in bed, Beth had the fluffy white bath robe provided by the hotel wrapped around her. Mick was naked except for the thin sheet over his lap. That was fine with Beth. They were channel surfing.

"Do you think Daniel will be okay?" she asked.

"Actually yeah, I do. Don't know why."

"Maybe it's faith."

"Maybe I see you talking your charm to Sharon and convincing her to give it a try."

She snuggled up to him. "I know you've got these parts of you you're afraid to let me see. You think you're a monster and I'm some kind of pure… I-don't-know-what. But maybe I've got secrets too," she admitted.

"You do, huh?" he said, trying not to make light of it but failing.

"I baited Coraline," she confessed. "I was hoping – no, I knew, if I found the right words she'd try something, and it would be self defense. I went there knowing one of us wasn't coming out alive, and I had reason to _believe_ it would be her. So if you're a monster, I'm a murderer." There, she'd finally told him. It wasn't a secret she wanted to share, but maybe if he knew, he wouldn't see them as so different, stop putting her on that perfect pedestal.

Mick's arms tightened around her. He was silent for awhile, thinking. Lately, a lot of things required new thinking. "If she hadn't pulled a gun on you," he still didn't like talking about it, no matter how many times she insisted the _Voice_ had told her it would turn out okay. "Would you have killed her in cold blood?"

She shook her head in the negative. "Doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," he told her. "For both of us. We do what we _have_ to do. You either accept it, live with it, or you don't do it. Right?" There were just some things the vampire community couldn't go to the police about. It wasn't an option. They had to have a way of policing themselves. Did that make him some kind of Judas? He didn't think so, because if so, why would he have been rewarded with the incredible woman he now held in his arms? He'd spent a lot of decades believing he was cursed. But the cursed don't earn the love of a lifetime.

"And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks," she finally commented.

"Speaking of, I'm still waiting for you to show me some of that stuff you learned from the filthy movie," he responded, to lighten the mood.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" she asked, moving to straddle his lap playfully.

Mick let his grin at her choice of words develop slowly. "_Up_ to it?" he asked with an arched brow, untying the belt of her robe to slip it off her shoulders. He plunged his hands into her hair, enjoying the feel of it sliding through his fingers. He pulled her down for a thorough kiss.

"You know," he said almost conversationally when they finally broke apart for a breather. "You weren't exactly truthful with Daniel when you told him I refused to drink from my fiancée. I wouldn't say I refused. I've taken a taste every now and then."

"I've lost more to a mosquito," she dismissed.

He tilted his head to the side. "That's pretty rude," he commented, trailing a finger down her neck.

Something about his tone, the way he was looking at her, was telling her something she wasn't sure she could actually believe. "Rude," she managed in a strangled voice.

"What if I told you I was going to make a liar out of you?"

Her mouth dropped open in pleased astonishment as she stared at him. Before she knew what was happening, he had their positions reversed, and she was beneath him. To her, his strange blue eyes weren't cold, they were on fire.

"What would you say?" he demanded.

"I'd say take me." It was the last thing she was able to say for a long time.

Despair, shame guilt.

Hope, faith, love. How three little words could change your world.

XXX

The next day, Mick went downstairs to check out while Beth finished getting ready to leave. It had taken her awhile to finish the huge breakfast Mick ordered for her and insisted she eat. Steak in the morning wasn't her usual routine, it was more like coffee and a bagel – when she was eating at all, that is. Thankfully her usual nausea was absent this morning though.

As she left the room and headed down in the elevator, Beth couldn't seem to keep the grin off her face no matter how hard she tried. Wasn't there a saying about that, something like, "Grin, people will wonder what you're up to?" Not that they'd guess in a million years. Well, not unless they saw her without her turtleneck, that is… When she arrived in the lobby Mick was just turning away from the desk.

"Hey."

"Hey." They stood grinning at each other as if they hadn't seen each other in days instead of fifteen minutes. She noticed he was holding something behind his back just as he pulled it out.

"I think you've earned this," Mick said, placing the fedora on her head.

Arm in arm they walked from the hotel. "Am I Bogey now?" she asked, grinning.

Mick snorted. "Did I ever tell you I had a thing for Lauren Bacall?"

"You know how to whistle, don't you?" she quoted. "You just put your lips together and… blow."

Mick threw his head back and laughed. "I'm impressed. Even if you _don't_ know who Nick and Nora are."

"Did I ever tell you I have a thing for private eyes?" Beth said.

XXX

Beth sat in the doctor's office, tapping her foot impatiently, and waiting for the results of her tests. She'd never understand why they couldn't just tell you over the phone, instead of making you wait. She tried to quell the butterflies in her stomach, and tell herself she was ready for _whatever_ the news was.

Dr. Gerard finally came in, file in hand. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Beth."

"No problem, doctor. I have to admit though, I'm anxious to get the results."

"Understandable." He opened the file and looked it over a moment. "I have all your results here, and the reason you've been experiencing stomach pain and nausea is because you've developed an ulcer. Have you been under any unusual stress the last, oh, several months?"

_Unusual stress?_ _Ulcer_?

_Let's see: last few months… Meet gorgeous PI and feel instant connection. Almost killed by serial murderer. Nightmares about my childhood abduction. Kill a man to save gorgeous PI's life. Find out vampires exist and GPI is one. Save vampire's life in desert by letting him feed on me. Meet other vampires, including feral ones. Strain with boyfriend. Get high off vampire drug. GPI's supposed dead ex-wife returns. Learn I'm half vampire. Learn father isn't dead, is vampire. Learn ex-wife is the one who kidnapped me. Learn GPI is my guardian angel who saved me. Sleep with GPI. Start hearing voices. Listen to the Voices. Confront and murder GPI's ex wife. Break up with boyfriend. Get engaged to GPI. Pregnancy scare. Did I miss anything? _

Beth stared at the doctor for a moment, and then burst out in relieved and amused laughter. "You have no idea!" she told him emphatically.

As the doctor droned on about medication and lifestyle modifications, Beth contemplated her conflicting feelings, genuine relief, and the knowledge that the issue wasn't going away, just postponed.

XXX

At the same time Beth was at the doctors, Mick had an appointment of his own. He sat in the chair across from Rev. Autun, hands clasped together, trying to hide his own nervousness.

"How's Daniel doing?" he asked.

Autun smiled. "He's doing very well, thank you. We've had a lot of long talks. And I know I have you and Beth to thank for laying a lot of the ground work in Newark. Considering what he's been wrestling with… it's just another wonderful example of the Lord working in mysterious ways."

"Lot of that going around lately," Mick noted.

"What do I owe you?" Robert asked him, pulling out his check book from the desk drawer.

Mick smiled slightly. "Just put in a good word for me with Jesus, and we'll call it even."

"You're a good man. He knows that, He knows _all_." Mick glanced away at the words. "I sense there's something else you'd like to talk about," Robert ventured.

Mick took a breath. "Do you think turning someone into a vampire is a sin?"

"Ah, _the_ question. Is it a sin? God's word in the bible doesn't directly address that issue, so we have to struggle with it on our own. It's not surprising a married couple would want to be together forever." As usual, the ever-perceptive Autun understood what was behind the question.

"But is it _wrong_?"

Robert came around the desk and sat in the chair next to Mick. He put his hand on Mick's shoulder. "I'm sorry I can't make other people's moral decisions for them. Only God can do that, when we have a personal relationship with Him. We do what feels _right_ in here," he touched Mick's chest.

"And how do I know if it's right or just what I selfishly want?"

Autun gave another of his trademark smiles. "Ah – there's a question that has burdened Christians since the beginning of time!"

"What if… a voice told you? Could that be the voice of God?" He asked, thinking of Beth's "voice".

"Possibly," Autun conceded. "But if it says something like kill your whole family, it's _not_ from God."

"I get that, but does it sometimes tell you to do things that seem…not right to you?"

"Do you mean _feel_ not right, or seem not right _intellectually_?"

Mick thought about that for a moment. "Intellectually," he answered.

"Our intellect comes from our ego. And that's about as far from God as we can get. I'm sure you've had this experience in your life: you see a perfect chance at something, a business deal, a relationship, maybe a job, whatever. Your brain says it's a great opportunity, can't pass it up. While your heart is saying _no_ in no uncertain terms. But you listen to the brain, because it's supposed to be the voice of reason, the smart one. It turns out to be a huge mistake. Because we didn't listen to that still small voice within. The brain is where our ego lives; the heart is where Jesus lives. Does that help any?"

"Not sure," Mick admitted.

"Have you ever read the bible, Mick?"

"Uh, about seventy years ago," he admitted with a grin.

"It's pretty clear that marriage is to be considered sacred. Till death do us part. And as we know, vampires aren't really immortal. They don't live forever, just a very long time. Maybe God decides when _they_ are called home, too. And decides who becomes one. What does your _heart_ tell you, Mick?"

"That we're supposed to be together," he answered.

"Then you have your answer, don't you? See how easy that was?"

Mick had to laugh. "If you say so. Um, there is one other thing. Beth and I want to ask you if you'd perform our wedding."

"I'd be honored to officiate the ceremony. I haven't known the two of you for long, but it doesn't take long to see how devoted you are to each other, how much in love. And remember one thing: love is the most important thing."

Love is all you need.

"_Remember what John said."_

"_The apostle?"_

"_No, the Beatle. All you need is love."_

_--Michael_

**End Chapter Nine: Sanctuary**

Notes: the flea bag hotel and other specific places are made up. Newark, Penn, and Hilton DO exist. "Beautiful Downtown Newark" is definitely an inside joke, btw. ;-) Also note I know nothing about gangs just what I see on TV. Fedora: hat made popular in the old b&w detective/film noir movies. _Whistle_ quote is Lauren Bacall from "To Have and To Have Not. 1944. And finally, yes, I know it's apparently spelled Rider now, but I like it with the Y better and it's my universe.


	10. Full Disclosure

Summary: Short but intense. In the midst of some rare down time in their life, Mick and Beth have an argument, and clear the air.

Chapter Ten:

**Full Disclosure**

_There was a time when I had a lot of secrets. I could never have imagined a day when I wouldn't have so many, I guess after awhile it becomes a part of life you don't even give a thought to. Vampires, especially, guard their secrets with a single-minded tenacity. Lying is second nature; you lie to protect your secrets. You don't think about it, you just do it. Josef says "it's what we do." I took offense at that, but I realized we don't have that market cornered either. Humans are notorious liars. They lie out of greed, and embarrassment, and vanity._

_And they lie out of love. _

_Me, I find myself getting more tired of lies and secrets lately. I long for truth; I'm tired of hiding in the shadows and lying about who…and what I am. With the few people in my life that I don't have to, especially._

XXX

It was a quiet night, a welcome respite from the upheaval of the past months. Mick's apartment was dark except for the flames of the glass fireplace and the glow of the television. The darkness which once seemed so oppressive, reminding him as it did of what he was and what he could never be again, was tonight warm and comforting. It was _his_ life… and it wasn't so bad after all.

Mick watched Beth as she put the DVD into the player and settled back onto the couch with him. Two glasses sat side by side on the table, one filled with wine and the other blood. She grabbed the bowl of popcorn and tossed some into her mouth with a grin for him. They'd rented "The Thin Man" series, and Beth was finally getting a chance to sit down and watch them. Just a quiet evening at home, watching rented movies. Like any normal couple, untold thousands of which were probably doing the exact same thing right now. He'd discovered that even vampires could learn to treasure the small, seemingly mundane moments of life.

As the movie started, he realized he was still staring at her, and she'd noticed. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," she said, smiling at him. She shifted so she could put her bare feet in his lap.

He took her feet in his hands, beginning to massage them. When she wiggled her toes at him, he couldn't help the small embarrassed smile as he studied the blood red nail polish on her toes – that in a moment of horrible playfulness Beth had coerced him into painting for her. There had been something so silly, yet vaguely erotic about it. In all his eighty-six years, it was a totally new experience for him. In his day, women usually kept their secrets, their mystique, and took care of their beauty routines in private. In today's world it was considered foreplay. Wasn't sure he'd get used to that, but he could 

honestly say he hadn't laughed so much in over thirty years. This was, come to think of it, probably part of her evil plan.

"So…" He took the opportunity to bring up the subject that had been on his mind. "Did you ever get those test results?" She hadn't mentioned it, but he knew she'd gone back to the doctor yesterday. He was slightly disturbed by her silence.

"As a matter of fact, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about tonight. Turns out I've got an ulcer," she told him with a wry grin.

"Ulcer?"

"All us workaholics get 'em nowadays," she reassured him dismissively. "It's very in-vogue."

"So what does that mean, how do they treat it?" Maybe it was because he hadn't had to worry about the physical frailties of being human for so long that those kinds of issues left him feeling very uneasy.

"I've got some medicine I have to take, and some lifestyle changes, avoid spicy food, stuff like that. It's not serious," she assured her worried boyfriend.

"No more Kung Pao chicken," he told her with a teasing grin.

"Maybe – now shh, I want to watch this…"

So they watched the movie, with Beth making comments often. Most of them centered on how she still wasn't seeing how Josef thought they were like Nick and Nora.

"I think he's mainly seeing you as Nora," Mick explained. He could definitely see her spunk in Nora, and vice versa. The Charles' were a product of their time no question, yet ahead of their time as well, in the casual, sometimes rough way they related to each other.

"How so?"

"Oh, I don't know… pushy, headstrong, gets involved in her husband's cases instead of staying home like the good little woman…"

That remark earned him a kick from one of the feet still in his lap. "They are kinda cute together," she pronounced.

"Are you saying we're _cute_ together?"

"That's what I hear."

"From who?"

"Oh, everyone. Friends. Family. Total strangers." She grinned. "But I can tell you if you ever punched _my_ lights out to get me out of the line of fire, I'd have to hurt you." **x**

"See what I mean?" he replied as she kicked his thigh again.

They watched for awhile longer, till Beth broke the silence again. Mick didn't mind. As much as he enjoyed the movies, he found listening to Beth an infinitely more enjoyable pastime.

"Josef sees me as Nora Charles – I'm not sure if I should take that as a complement or not."

"Trust me, just the fact that Josef has a 'pet' name for you is a compliment," Mick told her.

"Maybe I should come up with one for him," she mused.

Mick nearly spit up the swallow of blood he'd been in the middle of taking. "Uh, I'm not sure that would be a good idea."

"Be fun."

"Okay, _Nora_. Have at it," he indulged her.

"I think I'd rather be Lauren Bacall." She glanced over at the Fedora Mick had bought her, which was in its usual resting place atop the head of the dog statue by the window. Or, _Asta_, as Josef had recently dubbed it.

"You know who I'd rather you be?" Mick asked, moving the popcorn bowl from her lap onto the coffee table, taking her feet from his lap, and crawling over her to cover her body with his.

"Who?" she asked, playing along.

"Beth Turner."

She put her arms up and wound her fingers in his hair. "How about Beth St. John?"

His smiled in possessive agreement. "I like that one even better." He began nuzzling her throat, having forgotten all about the movie. Getting naked suddenly seemed much more important than watching an old movie. "Maybe we're the X-rated version of Nick and Nora." One hand moved to her blouse, intending to undo the buttons.

He was surprised when her hand came up, stilling his. "Um, there's something else we need to talk about," she began. "It's serious."

"Okay," he said, nervous at her demeanor, but deciding whatever it was he could handle it. He was a lot stronger these days.

"I mean… I never even considered it, never thought about it because I figured there was _no_ way it would be possible, but of course it _is_ possible…"

"Beth," he stopped her babbling by breaking in. "What is it?" He had to admit; now he was becoming more alarmed. Her distress was communicating itself straight to his own emotions.

She took a deep breath as if bracing herself. "We need to decide whether or not to use birth control."

Mick froze, then blinked at her. "Birth control??"

"Considering how _I_ got here, we can't ignore the possibility."

Mick sat up, stunned to the point of being unable to think. It was the _last_ thing he expected. "I thought all women were on the pill nowadays," he said lamely, for want of something to say as he tried to process. He was a vampire. Everyone knew they couldn't father children. But of course they sometimes could, if not Beth wouldn't be sitting there next to him.

"I'm not. Because of certain risk factors I have in my family, I made the decision to use other methods," Beth explained. "Of course now it's not as risky, knowing mortal illnesses aren't necessarily… well, so I _could_," she said evasively, biting her lip as if unsure she should continue along those lines. "Obviously it's a decision we have to make together, but I want you to know either way it's okay with me" She rushed on. "I mean… I'm willing to trust the Universe to decide our fate like it's been so far…"

Mick was having trouble wrapping his mind around this topic. Another thing he'd crossed off the list of his life. The thought was both thrilling and terrifying. If they thought things were complicated _now_… And if they'd both been too stupid, or more likely too _busy_, to realize the possibility before, when had Beth realized…

Then he abruptly put two and two together and came up with four. Beth, not feeling well, going to the doctor for tests… His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "You thought you might be pregnant, didn't you?" he accused.

Her face broadcast her surprise at his question, as if she hadn't expected him to put those pieces together. "I, uh," trapped, unable to lie, she continued. "Yes."

Mick stood up and moved toward the window. "So, all this time, while we were working on the Autun case, you knew there was a possibility you might be pregnant, but you decided not to share that information with me?" He didn't even attempt to disguise the hurt and anger in his voice.

She winced. "I didn't want to—"

"Worry me? Upset me?" he fired at her.

She nodded. "Get your hopes up, distract you, have you lock me up here while you went off on your own. "

Mick ran a hand over his face, trying to calm his anger.

"You know why," she insisted. "To protect you."

He shook his head. "That's not gonna cut it anymore, for either of us. If we're gonna be married, we need to be partners in this. No more lies, or half truths, or keeping things from each other."

"I just wanted…"

He didn't let her finish. "I'm tired of all the secrets, and dramatic revelations. It has to stop."

"Okay," she whispered.

He crossed room and knelt down beside her on couch, cupped her check in one hand. Trying desperately to make her understand how important this was to him. "I love you. I want to share _everything_ with you, good and bad."

He saw the tears threatening in her eyes, and somehow, maybe through their connection, knew she was thinking of that sidewalk in Newark, when she'd finally broken through his last wall and he'd opened himself up totally to her. And later that night… at the hotel, his last barrier had fallen and he was 100 there with her. Man, and vampire. He wanted only the same thing in return.

Beth threw her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I promise, no more lies or secrets." She slipped her hands down to cradle his face. "I love you more than my life," she said, kissing him. "I just can't stand to see you hurting," she admitted.

He smiled and kissed her back. "I can handle it, I promise. I can handle anything… as long as you're with me."

"We don't have to do that anymore," Beth said, maybe mostly to herself. "I guess it just got to be a habit. No more secrets," she vowed. "What about the unspoken things that we feel through our connection and know without words?"

"Sometimes words are good, too," he said quietly.

"Full disclosure, huh? Okay, then, I have a question I need to ask you." He saw her bracing herself again, and wondered what was coming this time. It turned out to be _the_ question. The one he'd been avoiding for some time now.

"I want you to… will you turn me?"

Mick closed his eyes briefly, resting his forehead against hers. Finally, he nodded against her skin. It was all he could manage. He felt her sag into his arms in relief.

He looked up at her with imploring eyes. "Not for a really long time yet, okay?" he whispered, tracing her cheek with a finger. "So don't be doing anything stupid or reckless, take care of yourself."

"I promise," she vowed, and the light of happiness in her eyes was nearly overwhelming. Here he was promising what had always been, for him, a curse, and she lit up like he'd given her the moon.

It had been a long, strange trip to get here, one filled with startling revelations and not a small amount of irony. Yet it was the sacrifice and patience of this woman that had saved him: she was his salvation, and his sanctuary. Forever.

They remained that way for awhile, not speaking, just holding each other. Until Beth broke the emotional silence. "What about the… birth control issue?"

It felt a little like jumping off a cliff, freefalling into space. Terrifying. Exhilarating. It made him feel more human than he'd ever felt when he _was_.

"Let's let fate decide."

And as the movie played on ignored, Mick swung Beth into his arms, and carried her up the stairs.

_We all love to keep secrets and tell lies. How can we forget the feeling of utter relief that comes with honesty? It's a beautiful thing. It was something Beth and I would have from now on. I want no more secrets with the people I care about._

_I have a feeling that convincing Josef to join the party however, isn't going to be as easy…_

**end Chapter Ten**

**x**: Refers to a scene in the movie where a suspect comes into their bedroom with a gun and is about to fire it. Nick knocks Nora unconscious in order to get her out of the line of fire so she won't be shot.


	11. Atonement

Summary: The Turner's finally gain some peace

Chapter Eleven:

**Atonement**

_Being a crime reporter, you learn a lot about how the human mind works. Like the police, you see firsthand how fragile and fallible human memories can be. That was demonstrated very well once in a Police Investigation class I took in college. Unbeknownst to us, our prof. had set it up for a "hooded assailant" to burst into the room and 'rob' one of the students at gunpoint. Afterwards, we all had to give our eyewitness reports of what we saw. It was like we'd all been to an entirely different robbery! The accounts where that different. And when we saw the actual 'thief' in person, more than one of us was astounded at how the details we were so sure of were so wrong._

_Memories with intense emotion attached to them can be more accurate, or less. Like when we block out traumatic events, oh, say, like our own kidnapping. Or when we recall something so strongly because of the emotion attached to it. Like the loss of a father. I have to wonder if vampire memories are the same. Do they remember more vividly, because of their heightened senses? Or, does the passage of centuries fade the memories so much they vanish altogether? Maybe they hang onto them desperately, afraid of losing that fragile link to their past. Or block them out entirely to protect themselves. What are we without our memories? Is that what separates humanity from the monsters? The ability to connect with our past emotions?_

XXX

Beth Turner stood in front of the yellow police tape, microphone in hand, giving her report on the most current grisly murder L.A. had to offer. It was just before noon, and for the first time she could remember her mind was more on her upcoming lunch than the story.

"Police currently have no leads, or suspects, so for now this murder remains a mystery. This is Beth St. John reporting for Buzz Wire."

She lowered the mike and stepped over to Steve, her cameraman, only to find him giving her a strange look. "What?" she questioned. "Is my fly unzipped or something?" she quipped.

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?"

"Huh?"

"Beth _St. John_??" Steve echoed, grinning at her.

Eyes going big, her hand flew to her mouth. _Whoops_.

"We'll edit it out, no problem."

"Thanks." The name had just slipped out automatically. Even though they weren't married yet, she really did think of herself as Beth St. John now. It was actually strange to say Turner. She glanced at her watch, and grimaced at what she saw. "I've gotta get out of here or I'm going to be late for a lunch date."

"Lunch _date?_" Steve inquired suggestively.

"I wish," she shot back, pulling out her car keys. "It's a…meeting with my lawyer."

XXX

Beth and her father had spoken several times, but although they'd both been trying, things were still strained between them. Therefore, when she'd gotten his lunch invite, she was of mixed feelings about it. Part of her desperately wanted to mend the fences of their relationship; the other part was having trouble getting past her sense of abandonment.

So it was these thoughts she wrestled with as she pulled her car into the lot at Buzz Wire, and glanced around to see if Aldo's Lexus LS Hybrid was there yet. Sure enough, he was parked in a visitor's space close to the door. Bracing herself for an uncomfortable afternoon, she made her way to his car and got into the passenger side.

"Sorry I'm late; I was out on a story."

"No problem," Aldo assured her. In the pause that followed, she suspected he actually hadn't known whether she'd show at all or not.

"So where are we going to eat?" she asked to fill the awkward silence as he pulled out into the street.

"The one doing the _eating_ gets to choose," he answered with a slight smile. "Actually, I have a stop I want to make first. As you know I've been looking for a place to live since I moved back to L.A. I recently found a place that seems…perfect. I was hoping you'd give me your opinion."

"You really don't need my opinion," she protested. "It's your place, you can live wherever you like."

"But nevertheless, I'd like you to see it."

Beth nodded, and let silence fill the car. She was used to that, as they often both seemed at a loss for what to say to each other. What _could_ they say, really? It was what it was. She contented herself with gazing out the window mindlessly, that is, until the streets they were driving down started looking more and more familiar. As they turned onto Oak Drive, she knew with certainty where they were headed.

Beth stared at her father's profile as he smoothly pulled the car into the driveway of her childhood home.

When he cut the engine the only sound for long moments was the ticking of it cooling. "Well, what do you think?" he finally asked, not looking at her.

"I—" was all she could manage, not knowing _how_ to feel. It was a huge gesture that rocked her, that he would do something like this, buy back their old house… It was obviously meant to atone, and she couldn't remain unmoved in the face of it. Or maybe he was trying to recapture the past he'd lost so long ago. It was both beautiful, and sad.

"Let's have a look, shall we?" he said glancing at her for just a brief moment before getting out of the car.

Beth followed more slowly. The house looked the same as it had back then, except for the **For Sale** sign in the front yard and absence of her mom's white lace curtains on the windows. She tried to dam up the memories that threatened to come flooding back, but knew it was a losing battle.

One of her earliest memories was of that front sidewalk. It had been repaired at some point, was now perfectly even. Running down the long path in excitement to meet her daddy when he returned from work one night, she'd tripped over a break in the concrete and skinned both knees. He had tended her wounds and dried her tears.

She was startled when Aldo put an arm around her shoulder, clashing the past with the present. "We can go inside," he said, leading her to the door. Pulling out a key, he unlocked it and gestured her inside.

The interior was quite different. Empty, no furniture, it was a ghost house full of echoes of the past. Empty. Their footsteps seemed unnaturally loud on the bare wood floors as they walked through.

"When we chose this house, we had you in mind," he related. "Your mother was pregnant when we moved in. We wanted a home that would be a nice place for a child to grow up. Your mom fell for this place the moment she saw it."

"She hated having to sell it," Beth countered, wanting to add realism to the hazy fond memories of a past that was gone. "But when she got sick and knew she was dying, it was the wise decision. I wished she'd let go of the past a long time before that."

She remembered the pain in her mom's eyes when she had to give that one last piece connecting her to her true love away. Beth had gotten over the childish daydreams that she'd someday have a stepfather a long time before. But it was even harder now, now that she knew much more intimately what her mother had endured – when all she had to do was try to imagine living without Mick. She couldn't help wonder if her mom had had no strength left, no will to live to draw on. Now that Beth was an adult and living her own life, it was okay to let go. Maybe she thought she'd be reunited with her dead lost love after all. It seemed too cruel a fate for a good, loving woman to suffer.

Beth refused to cry as they walked upstairs, stopping at her old room. She hovered just outside the door, not wanting to look inside… but the memories came anyway…

"I remember helping her decorate the nursery. She was so excited, I was so terrified." Aldo laughed slightly. "But I'll never forget her radiant smile as she painted those little bunnies on the wall. It was the one thing I hated myself for her having to give up, when she chose me. The chance to have a baby of her own. By some miracle, I was able to give her you. A beautiful daughter. "

What Beth remembered was sitting by the window in her room, looking out and trying to understand why daddy wasn't going to be coming home from work anymore. Why her mommy was in the other room crying. Trying to be quiet as to not upset her little girl, but Beth had always had really good hearing…

The only saving grace for her had been when her guardian angel had come along, and given her back that sense of security, of being protected that she'd lost with her father. Later she'd sit by the same window and think about the mysterious stranger who'd been there for her when no one else was. Wondering, imagining… Her thoughts had shifted with her age. The four year old's guardian angel, adolescent's superhero protector, teenager's knight in shining armor. Then, he became her best friend, and now her lover. Soon he would be her husband. Even now, Mick was the one constant presence in her life that smoothed the pain away.

"For a brief time there was only happiness," Aldo continued. "Then I slowly began to realize the implications of what was happening. I did some careful investigation, found out what a danger it is to be a—to be half vampire and half human. I thought of my beautiful little girl harmed because of what I was, and I wanted to destroy myself to keep it from happening. I went from absolute joy to abject terror for my family."

"Do you really believe something bad would have happened if you'd stayed?" she asked, looking directly at him for the first time that day.

He met her gaze steadily. "Yes. Vampires know each other by scent, you know that. And something bad _did_ happen anyway, didn't it?" he challenged. "You were kidnapped."

"Yes, but Mick saved me. He protected me. You could have done that."

"He wasn't part of your life, attracting attention to you. He stayed hidden. Look what happened when he did start hanging around you publicly. And would you really have wanted it to be me who saved you and not him?" he challenged.

"I know," she admitted, turning away. She couldn't really wish that, for it would mean Mick wasn't a part of her life. That thought was incomprehensible. "I know that's the way things were meant to be. But it doesn't make it hurt any less," she admitted.

"No, it doesn't," he agreed.

In silence they descended the stairs and walked back into the dining room. Where the oak table had been where Beth and her mom would have many dinners. Her dad would sit there keeping them company when he wasn't out working. Most of his work was done at night. He always "ate at the 

office". But he'd always have his _coffee_ in front of him, in the steel travel mug. A lot of things certainly made sense now.

They went out through the back door into the yard, and her mind skated over images of playing for hours out there, until her mom would call her for dinner. Stargazing at midnight with her daddy, lying out on a blanket under the dark sky.

The porch swing was remarkably still there, and they both drifted over to it, sitting down side by side. The feeling of familiarity that washed over Beth was intense and bittersweet, somehow connecting her with him and their shared past in a way the reminiscences hadn't quite accomplished. It really was the _little_ things…

"When you were just a baby you used to get really bad colic. Luckily your mom didn't have to lose any sleep, since I was wide awake at night. I'd bring you out here and rock you. It always calmed you right down. I think you liked the night best, too. Quiet, just the sounds of the night to keep us company. It was my favorite time, our special time together."

It really had been their 'special' time. She could now remember many occasions when he'd gotten her out of bed in the middle of the night, finger to his lips to remind her to be silent. It was their secret; mom would have been disapproving to know her daughter wasn't getting her proper sleep. Or maybe it wasn't that, she was sure her mom would have understood. More likely it was just a private thing they shared, just for the two of them.

He had been a doting father, who loved her very much. Yet he left anyway. Parents would do anything to protect their children. No matter the cost. Would it have been selfish of him to stay? She could see some of Mick's struggle in Aldo's, but the difference was huge. Beth was an adult now, capable of taking care of herself and with the right to have a say in her own life. Then, she had been a vulnerable child. An impossible decision, but the right one no matter how painful for everyone. A part of her, getting stronger now, understood that. Her connection with Mick St. John was her destiny. It was him who was meant to save her that night, without question. And in doing so, she had also saved him.

"So what do you think?" Aldo broke into her thoughts. "Should I buy this house?"

Beth slowly shook her head, gathering her thoughts and coming to a decision. One that finally brought peace. "I appreciate the gesture, and I know why you want to do it. But it's not wise. It hasn't been _that_ long, there may still be neighbors here who remember us, remember _you_. It's too risky. And…" she paused and took a deep breath. "We can't live in the past, in old memories. We need to go forward, think of the future and new memories."

"I guess I just wanted to make it up to you, in some little way," Aldo said quietly.

With the genuine pain in his voice Beth felt the final barrier inside her breaking down. She couldn't help the tears that now filled her eyes. "I'm getting married in a few months, and my daddy is going to be there to walk me down the aisle. I never wanted to get married before… I think it wasn't just about not 

being in love, but the thought that he wouldn't be there beside me. Now, my wedding will be perfect, because you'll be there to give me away."

Aldo Turner finally broke down at his daughter's words, sobbing into his hands.

Beth did the only thing she could do; she put her arms around her daddy and cried with him. Healing tears. For the pain of the past, and the joy of the present.

Epilogue:

(**Midnight Rendezvous**)

It was almost midnight. Beth startled awake at the touch on her shoulder. Mick was having a boys' night out with Josef that would probably last till dawn so it wasn't him, but she wasn't frightened: she had somehow immediately known who it was. She smiled in anticipation against the silencing finger that rested lightly on her lips. The finger left her mouth to curve in beckoning.

Childish excitement racing through her, she jumped out of bed and hastily grabbed her robe, shrugging into it. Pushing her feet into her slippers, she quickly followed her dad out of the door.

XXX

The night was silent save for the noises of the insects and animals who shared it with them. The cat that occasionally howled his displeasure at something sounded so much like the old Tom that used to belong to Mrs. Jones next door that they both had to laugh every time they heard him. They lay side by side on the old, worn blanket in the back yard, staring up at the stars. Not quite as bright as they'd once been, the steadily encroaching pollution and lights of civilization dimming them more every year, but they were no less magical than they had been twenty two years ago. Because her daddy was again next to her.

"There's the big dipper," Aldo pointed out as he'd done so long ago. "It's been right up there, in that same sky, since the beginning of time as we know it. The flag of Alaska has a big dipper on it, bet you didn't know that."

"Alaska…" Beth murmured, a glimmer of an idea floating around in her sleepy brain. She remembered how she used to dream about seeing the northern lights, used to be fascinated with the idea of a place where, for a time, there was perpetual darkness.

"In my country it used to be known as the "Butcher's Cleaver." Her dad shuddered dramatically. "I much prefer big dipper."

"Did you used to look up at the dipper when you were a boy?" she asked, sliding her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder. She knew the answer, but she had a feeling this time there would be new stories to go with the old. Ones she couldn't hear until now.

"You bet I did. I was born in a small village called Northumberland. It's Newcastle, these days, but Northumberland is the county."

"And when was that?" she prodded with a grin.

He paused for just a brief moment, before squeezing her arm and launching into his story. "It was 1802. Things were very different in those days. The sky was so clear, you almost believed you could reach up and touch the stars. My own father used to take me out at night and tell me all the magical stories about them. I expect he made many of them up himself, not being a learned man. But a lot of the stories were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth in those days. Fathers and mothers passing them down to their children. That connection is something I think is sadly missing in this modern world."

She nudged him with her elbow, fondly recalling how he'd easily get distracted when relating his stories and had to be gently reminded to get back on track. "What did your dad tell you about the big dipper?"

"Well, I remember one cold, cold night – it was much colder up there too than here. – Did I tell you he used to sneak me a sip of whiskey, to warm me up before we went outside? Mother would have tanned both our hides if she'd known…"

Beth nodded; settling in happily to listen as she finally learned the _real_ history of her family. She couldn't imagine ever being happier than she was at that very moment in time.

Amazingly, she would turn out to be wrong about that, however…

**End of Chapter Eleven: Atonement**


	12. Happily Ever After

Chapter Twelve:

**Happily Ever After**

_"Frail flowers that arrive with the cuckoo,_

_Pale lilac, hyacinth purple of hue,_

_& the little pink geranium,_

_All smil'd & nodded to see me come;_

_All gave me welcome; 'No noise,' they said,_

_'For we will show you the bridal bed.'" _

_-Roden Berkeley Wriothesley Noel_

Act I: Love _does_ last forever

_Sometimes life doesn't turn out the way you expect it to. You think you know what's what, who you are, where you're going… and the Universe pulls the rug out from under you and shows you you don't know shit. For some of us, this happens on a daily basis… Sooner or later, even that becomes routine. Boring, even. When that happens, should you be relieved or more worried? (Mick)_

_Someone once said, the more things change the more they stay the same. Whoever said that had no clue how right they had it! (Beth)_

Beth Turner-soon-to-be-St. John busied herself around her father's new condo, adding some things she'd purchased and a few that she'd brought from her own apartment, family mementoes and other treasures. She didn't need them anymore, and it was comforting to know they were staying in the family. That was another effortless change that she'd had no intentions of making back before she'd become engaged; she fully expected to be keeping her own apartment, to give both herself and Mick space of their own. Space? Between them? She should have known better. Since their first night together, she'd hardly seen her own place except to stop by and grab things she needed. Now, it was just a matter of clearing stuff out so she could drop the lease. This was the best of both worlds, since Aldo had enlisted his daughter's help with the decorating of his new home; she was unashamedly using the opportunity to find a way of keeping the things that otherwise she had no room for. Mick's place was so artfully decorated; she couldn't see anything much needed to be added to perfection. Even though he'd made it clear she could bring in anything she wanted – or even everything, if she wanted. Turned out he wasn't a loner by choice, just by imagined necessity.

Good thing her father's condo was huge.

Aldo had also requested Mick's opinion on his new security system, having been impressed with the one the PI had. It never hurt for a vampire to have good security, just in case. The pleasant afternoon the three of them had planned was delayed somewhat however, when Aldo had gotten a call to an emergency meeting with a client. Back in L.A. for good, he'd set up his law practice again and although Josef was his main client, he also enjoyed helping people who needed legal counsel. He had a feeling Mick might be referring clients to him in the future – and vice versa.

"How do you think this looks over here?" Beth asked Mick of the multi-colored vase she'd placed on a table in the foyer. It had been her mother's, and she was looking forward to Aldo's reaction when he saw it.

Mick regarded it critically, than shook his head. She arched an eyebrow at him. He grinned apologetically. "Too close to the door traffic, easy to get knocked down and broken. I'd try the shelf by the window, the incoming light will shine on it, really highlight the colors.

"Highlighting the colors, huh?" She knew her dad had given her the job of helping decorate _not_ due to her expertise in interior design, but rather for that touch of family and familiarity she would bring. Still.

Mick nodded, wide eyed. "It'll really make 'em _pop_!" he exclaimed.

"I'll pop you," she warned. "Didn't anyone ever tell you straight men aren't supposed to be so stylish or neat?"

"That's okay, I think those days are numbered," he told her, studying a garishly surreal painting of some kind of purple flower that she'd hung in a prominent place on the wall in the living room.

"Which, the style or the straightness?" she inquired archly.

"Well, you know, in some circles, BFF _doesn't_ stand for 'best friends forever.'"

"I'm telling Josef on you!" she threatened.

"Go ahead, we live to annoy him. Between the barfing when he comes in here and sees this place, and the aspersion on his manhood, it'll be good times."

"I'll have you know," she told him, taking the picture from his hands and putting it back on the wall. "That happens to be the Bloody Cranesbill. It's the official flower of the county in England where dad is from."

He studied it some more. "Bloody? But they're not red," he noted.

"The leaves are, in the fall. That's where the name comes from."

"That's my reporter, always doing her research," he told her fondly, with a kiss on the cheek.

"That's what makes me so good," she responded, slipping her arms around his waist.

Mick gave an embarrassed cough, just for effect. "Not all you're good at."

"Oh!" she brightened. "Speaking of our honeymoon…"

"You've thought about where you'd like to go?" he asked with just a little trepidation. He really didn't think she'd pick someplace like a sun-drenched Bahamas beach, but he didn't want to limit her either. He wanted to go somewhere that would make her happy. It occurred to him that he was very lucky she wasn't like Coraline – and also maybe that's how he'd gotten in trouble in the first place. Being a pushover for the woman he loved. Only in this case, his trust wasn't misplaced.

She was nodding. "Yes, in fact I know the perfect place."

"You're building up the suspense, right?" he asked when she didn't answer immediately.

She grinned like the canary cat. "Someplace we'll both enjoy." She paused again until he rolled his eyes at her. "Alaska."

He stared at her, stunned into silence for a moment. "You want to go to Alaska. For your honeymoon. In the middle of winter."

After each sentence, she had nodded. "Think of it, Mick -- only two hours of sunlight a day. Temps well below zero. We can get a room with a balcony you can sleep on, no freezer needed. And a bubbling hot tub in the suite for me. The romantic northern lights above us…"

Overwhelmed by her suggestion, he pulled her closer and kissed her fiercely. "I love you," he said when the kiss ended. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Only the best for me, so I guess you're the best," she informed him, giving him a kiss of her own.

"You _really_ want to go to Alaska? Or is it just because it's a vamp-friendly destination?"

"Both," she explained, clearly pleased with herself for having thought of it. "The other night when I was reminiscing with my dad, I remembered how I always used to dream about visiting Alaska and seeing the aurora borealis. I've wanted to go ever since I was a little girl; it would be a dream coming true for me. In more ways than one," she murmured, caressing his face. "I hear it's so beautiful."

"So cold."

"It's a dry cold," she responded.

"You're _sure_?" he had to ask again, just to be fair.

The arms that were around his waist moved lower and her hands slipped inside his back pockets intimately. "Absolutely. And the way I see it, a honeymoon isn't an excuse to sightsee all day and party at clubs all night. It's a trip to get away from those annoying distractions that we have to get out of bed for. You know, work, family, friends."

"Have I ever told you, Mrs. St. John, that I like the way you think?"

"So it's decided?"

"Alaska it is. I've heard there's a fairly big vamp population up there, although that they're a bit…eccentric."

"Oh joy, eccentric vampires, should be interesting."

He suspected there was more seriousness in her comment than sarcasm, but he was afraid to find out. "I can see if Josef has any contacts up there, you know, I'll need a _supplier_."

"There's also dog sledding, which sounds like fun to try, and cross country skiing. It's going to be fun."

"You know everyone's going to think we're insane."

"Well, not _everyone_," she pointed out.

XXX

Mick was in the kitchen getting a 'drink' when the door buzzer sounded. Wondering if Aldo had already forgotten his access code, he put his glass down and headed into the other room. Before he made it all the way, he heard the door opening, and then a loud thud as if something, or someone, had fallen.

Mick raced into the living room, his sock clad feet skidding to a halt on the hardwood floor as he took in the scene before him.

The first thing he saw was Beth, collapsed in a dead faint on the floor by the door. The second thing he registered was the woman staring down at her.

"Oh dear," the woman said, her hand going up to her face in distress. "I guess I should have called first."

"I know _you_," Mick told her, staring in shock at the woman he hadn't seen face to face in 22 years. -- not since she'd hired him to find her missing daughter. Only that time, she hadn't been a vampire.

"I know _you_," she told him, staring in shock at the man she hadn't seen since she'd hired him to find her kidnapped daughter 22 years ago. Only that time, she hadn't known he was a vampire.

Beth's groan galvanized them both into action. Mick knelt on the floor by her, lifting her head up and patting her face gently to try and bring her around. "Beth, sweetheart, come on, wakey, wakey," he called gently, just knowing without looking that Margaret Turner had not missed the endearment and was still staring at him.

Beth abruptly came to, scrambling to her feet. "Mommy?!" she shrieked loud enough to bruise Mick's sensitive eardrums, before launching herself into her mother's arms.

"Bethy…" Margaret responded, already near tears. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to shock you like that. I thought… I didn't know you'd be here."

Mick smirked. Obviously the unexpected surprise was intended for Aldo's benefit.

The mother and daughter reunion continued for a few moments, both of them now in tears. Finally Beth pulled away slightly. "I… you're…supposed to be… are you…?" she glanced at Mick questioningly.

He read the unspoken question easily, and nodded the answer Beth was smart enough to have already known. "She's a vampire too," he said aloud, to let Margaret know that Beth was aware of the situation. To his credit, Mick realized he'd _finally_ gotten used to the surprises and was handling this new development a lot better than he had the previous ones. He wasn't even feeling very shocked.

"Why don't we sit down," he suggested, leading them over to Aldo's Italian leather sofa. "I guess we all have a lot of questions for each other."

"What happened?!" Beth asked her the minute they were seated. "I thought you were dead," she said with just a touch of accusation, but it was clear she was already being much more forgiving than she had been of her father. Mick wasn't sure why.

Margaret put her arm comfortingly around Beth, and they held each other. "Well, it's a long story sweetheart, but while I was at the hospice I received an…anonymous tip that your father didn't die in the crash. That he'd faked his death and left the country to protect us."

"And you trusted this anonymous tip?" Mick asked, earning an elbow in the side from his fiancée at the detective questioning. He ignored it; this situation was already putting all his PI instincts on alert. To say nothing of his vampire senses, which were trying to tell him things he couldn't sort out.

"Yes, I believed it. Maybe I was desperate, maybe I just never _felt_ like he was really dead. I never could accept it, you know that Beth. I didn't have anything to lose, and it was certainly worth a try. So I…found someone to turn me. It took awhile till I was ready to go searching for him, but eventually I was experienced enough to go out on my own. I had some leads on where he might be, I knew he was somewhere in Europe. I went to find him. Ironically, when I'd finally caught up with him in that village in Switzerland, I'd missed him by only a few weeks. He was already on his way back to the states. So, here I am. Finally."

Beth hugged her, starting to cry again. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Let me take a good look at my Bethy," Margaret said, taking her daughter's hands in her own, and unable to miss the diamond engagement ring on her finger. She looked up to Beth's face. "You're getting married?!"

Beth nodded, a beaming smile lighting her face. Right on cue, Margaret's gaze started to slide over to Mick – who immediately jumped up to create a distraction. "I'll just go get us all some refreshments, I'm sure Beth could use a glass of water after the shock she's had. How do you work that water filter thingy again?" he asked Beth, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the couch towards the kitchen.

"What are you—"

He interrupted her, hissing low into her ear. "I know we said full disclosure, but don't tell her about the _stalking_, okay??"

Beth shook her head, and grabbed his face for a kiss. "I love you, you silly boy." Then she pushed him into the kitchen and returned to the couch. He was left trying to figure out if that was a yes, or a no…. The father-in-law hadn't scared him hardly at all, compared to the effect the mother-in-law was already having on him. Preparing the drinks, he kept his ears tuned to the other room.

"So, Bethy, who is the ring from?" Margaret asked sounding like it was pretty obvious already but wanting to make sure she hadn't misunderstood.

Beth flushed with pleasure. "Mick," she whispered almost reverently.

"And how did this all happen?" Clearly Margaret wasn't sure whether to be disturbed by the turn of events, or not. The Mother Jury was still out in deliberation.

"We sure do have a lot to catch up with here," Mick interrupted, returning with the drinks; blood for them and water for Beth. "I hope O negative is to your liking, its Aldo's favorite. He just pulled up out front, by the way."

The second distraction worked, and Margaret looked at the door apprehensively. "I guess that was mean of me, wanting to make an entrance like that. I guess I just wanted a bit of revenge. Show him how I felt when I found out he wasn't dead. And I don't even know if he… if he found someone else…" her trailed off, courage now deserting her.

Beth smiled and hugged her mother again. "You are the only woman he ever loved. And now you'll be together forever!" She jumped up from the couch. "But let me at least… brace him some for the shock."

Beth slipped out the door, leaving Mick and Margaret to regard each other silently. Mick squirmed. Since he couldn't think of anything perfect to say, he was keeping his mouth shut no matter how uncomfortable, rather than risk putting his foot in it.

But soon the two voices of Beth and Aldo held their attention, both being vampires they had no trouble hearing clearly…

"Hi daddy, I'm so glad you're back."

"Then why are you hanging onto me out here instead of going inside, and why do you have such a strange expression on your face?"

"We have an…unexpected visitor today. I didn't want it to be so much of a shock, so I thought you might need a moment to brace yourself."

"Brace myself?" there was a pause. "Another vampire, one I don't recognize, but something familiar…." He had obviously scented her. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's _great_. C'mon in."

Beth led her father inside, and the next moment the two Turners were looking at each other for the first time in several decades.

"_Margaret_?" Aldo breathed, looking as if _he_ would pass out. Or as if he were looking at a mirage he was afraid would disappear any second.

"Al…" she answered with a tremulous smile.

"Margo… is it really you?" he continued, as both of them advanced slowly toward each other. The other two occupants of the room may as well have vanished, as their eyes were only for each other.

"I heard you were still alive. I knew I couldn't die, that I had to try to search for you."

Finally they were within reach. Aldo took his wife's face in his hands reverently, and brought her lips to his. It was a kiss that tried to make up for twenty three years of none. She melted into him automatically, as if none of that time had passed, and they wrapped their arms around each other.

When it became obvious to Mick that an atomic bomb could have gone off and they wouldn't notice, he took Beth's arm and began leading her toward the door.

She resisted. "Mick, what are you doing?" she asked without looking at him, her glowing eyes soaking up the sight of her parents, both back from the dead, finally together again.

"They need some time alone."

"But I want to watch," she said, thrilled. "It's so romantic!" Tears of happiness glittered once again in her eyes.

"Not in about a few more minutes you won't want to!" he assured her. "Let's go home. We can come back later."

He got her out the door just in time, judging by what his vampire ears heard from the other side of the door.

"_Much_ later."

End Act I

Act II: Conversations

Beth came awake slowly, stretching her body out on the bed. It was still dark, and the clock showed she hadn't been asleep for long. Mick wasn't with her, and while that was normal, he usually spent more time in bed than that, even falling asleep holding her. Instinct had her rising from the bed and pulling on her favorite night wear – one of Mick's shirts. Coming down the stairs, she could see the light from his office. She playfully grabbed her fedora from Asta's head and walked into the office.

She blinked. And blinked again, thinking perhaps she was still asleep, the scene before her so out of character. At least for Mick St. John, the 2008 version. She looked around for the flying pigs.

Mick sat at the desk, with Aerosmith's "No More, No More" blasting from the headphones on his ears. She couldn't be sure, but he might have just finished a riff on air guitar before she'd entered. He hadn't even sensed her come in! A wicked smile spread across her face as she considered ways to surprise her vampire.

"Don't even think about it," Mick said, finally looking up at her and putting to rest her fantasy that she could sneak up on him.

"You're no fun."

"That's not what you said a few hours ago," he reminded her, turning down the music and removing the headphones.

While Mick had been a musician when he was alive, she'd never seen him take much interest in it since she'd known him, beyond listening to some jazz now and then. Now that she thought about it, it was odd – unless you figured it was a painful subject for him to be reminded of what he used to be. This could be a good sign, another sign that he was healing. If not for the fact that he was clearly brooding. While he could make that seem like the sexiest thing on earth, she could sense he was troubled.

She went to the desk and slid on top of it, facing him. "Okay," she began directly, "what's wrong with you, besides being afraid of my mother."

"I'm not—"he protested but stopped at her look. "I'm just curious… who would 'tip' her off that Aldo was alive, and then give her clues as to where he could be?"

"What are you getting at?"

"C'mon Beth, she had no ties to the vamp community after he left. Who could have told her he was alive? There's only one person who even knew he didn't die in that crash…"

"Oh no. You don't think Josef – you're more paranoid than he is, do you know that?"

"It still comes back to who else knew? Who would be able to arrange something like this? Turn her, fake her death perfectly… "

"And send her off by herself in Europe to search instead of just telling her where dad was?"

"Dad said Josef contacted him. Maybe Josef didn't know where he was, just how to get in touch with him in the case of emergency. Trust me; a newly turned vampire doesn't go wandering around Europe by themselves without some pretty good connections."

"And so you're all pissed off at Josef again?"

Mick turned his head away, running a hand through hair. "Every time I turn around lately I find something he lied about, kept secret. I hate it. I'm beginning to wonder if I can really trust him."

"Oh, Mick," she touched his arm. "This had nothing to do with you. It was about my parents. His old friend."

"Yeah, before Coraline came back. He had plenty of opportunities after that to say, hey by the way, Margaret Turner isn't really dead, she's a vampire now and is off looking for Aldo."

"Maybe it wasn't his secret to tell, he'd been sworn not to tell anyone."

"Even though it was your mother, you're defending him."

"Josef has been a good friend to both of us. He was there for me, he took care of things when I was in trouble. I don't believe he'd ever do anything to hurt either of us. If we needed to know something, he'd tell us."

"Like that you were a half breed?"

"Yes. He contacted my father, and let him tell us. The man who had the right to give up that secret."

"I don't know… I just…"

"You need to talk to him. Have a real heart to heart and clear the air."

Mick snorted. "With Josef? He thinks losing at poker is too emotional."

Beth shook her head. "I'm a woman, I know these things. Trust me. I'll talk to him, let him know you need to hear some things from him."

"Oh crap…" he moaned. "I don't know who to feel sorry for."

"Trust me – I can handle Josef Konstantin." Somehow with all the weird stuff that had been going on these past months, Mick was tempted to believe her.

The foot that reached out was a good distraction from his disturbing thoughts, as were the toes wiggling against his crotch in blatant invitation.

"So," Mick began, turning his attention away from the troubling issues and onto the vision of the woman of his dreams, who currently sat on his desk in nothing but his shirt and a hat. "Ever have office sex?" Her eyes darkened with passion at his words. He slid the chair closer, putting his hands on her thighs. 

He reveled in his acute senses, the ability to so clearly catalog the effect he had on her, the elevated breathing, and heat.

Mick slid his hands up and down her inner thighs in a caress, then bent to place kisses and licks on the smooth skin. He paused to look up at her. "Interesting place for a hickey, don't you think?" Grinning as he heard her heart skip a beat. Rather than follow up his threat, he switched to a new goal, his mouth making a leisurely journey up her leg, teeth placing little nips along the way. She fell back on the desk at the first touch of his tongue. Even since he'd found out that Josh was one of those men for whom the very idea of this act was gross, he'd taken even more pleasure in pleasuring her. One of the advantages of being a vamp that he was fast learning to love, they didn't 'gross out' easily.

He'd couldn't quite decide whether to lower her onto him in the chair, or take her where she was. She did look good spread across his desk like that.

"Decisions, decision," he muttered.

"You're killing me here," she responded, the sentence punctuated with a moan.

His grin as he stood up melted her insides into liquid heat. He pulled his bottoms off and kicked them away. Then, inspiration hit. "Who says you can't have the best of both?" he asked, pulling her off the desk and down on top of him in the chair, while Aerosmith sang "Back in the Saddle."

When he took her on the desk, "Walkin' the dog" was playing.

XXX

Aldo couldn't resist running his hands down his wife's body for the thousandth time that night, reveling in the solid form under his questing fingers. When he'd finally returned to L.A. and found out she had died, the pain (and guilt) was so bad he wondered if he'd be able to go on. Only his daughter had kept him from taking a one way trip into the desert at noon. He knew he didn't deserve to have his family back, but he was grateful and determined to do right by them this time, no matter what.

He reached for her again, wanting her again. She had that look on her face, the one she used to get when she was thinking about something – never a good sign. She pushed him away, not un-gently.

"Who's the bed for??"

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Vampires don't sleep in beds. Who did you buy the bed for?"

Uh oh. Recognizing he was in some trouble, he desperately cast about for the right words. Even in vampire relationships, some things just never change. The man was in trouble with his wife, he was going to have a tough time getting out of it, and probably put his foot in his mouth when he did speak.

"I uh…" the answer suddenly came to him. "For show, of course. How would it look for some human to notice I didn't have a bed? You know we don't do anything to arouse suspicion." Wrong word to use, _arouse_, he noted, as parts of him were still uninterested in the conversation and more interested in continuing their reeducation of his wife's body.

"Uh huh," she said, clearly not totally convinced but seemingly willing to let it drop – for now.

"Which reminds me, I need to call the supplier first thing tomorrow and trade the single freezer in for a double."

"I'll remind you," she assured him, slightly more mollified. "Okay, so I've filled you in on my life since you left and up till now. How about you explain a few things to me about what's going on here. With Beth. And Mick St. John. "

"Does it bother you?" he asked her frankly.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "He is the one who saved her when she was a four year old child. Couldn't that be considered a little… odd?"

"Yes it could. If we weren't vampires. It's different for us; you'll come to understand that as you get more experience. And this is Mick and Beth we're talking about. When I saw them together… they reminded me so much of us." He leaned over and kissed her; she stroked his bare chest as if she couldn't help herself. "They belong together. Just like we do."

"And she knows he was the one?"

"I believe that's part of the connection they share," he said with a grin that earned him a smack in the arm.

"You know she used to have a 'crush' on her guardian angel when she was a teenager. Imagined he looked like Johnny Depp and was going to ring the doorbell one day and sweep her off her feet."

"And so he did," Aldo noted.

"Are you talking this seriously?" she demanded.

"It's very serious," he told her. "I looked into Mick St. John's eyes, and saw the way he looked at my daughter, and I _knew_ – he was the one man in the universe I'd trust her with."

"Well, when did they fall in love? Did she know who he was from the start? How did they meet again?"

"You're getting much too wrapped up with details," Aldo told her. "Just remember this: They love each other like we do. They're soul mates. Nothing on this earth or beyond is going to tear them apart. That's real, and strong, and forever."

"Like us," she agreed in a whisper, drawing her beloved closer until he covered her body again.

XXX

"Nora, Nora, Nora. Why are you harassing me?" Josef complained over the phone when Beth called him the next evening. "I don't have to bail you out of jail or anything, do I?"

"Not today. I'm calling to tell you that Mick's really upset with you."

"What'd I do now?" he asked wryly.

"He thinks you had something to do with a certain woman named Margaret Turner who just happens to be a vampire, and happens to have gotten a 'tip' that her dead husband wasn't dead.."

"What about you?" he asked, sounding remarkably as if he cared whether she would be upset with him or not.

"Oh, I only get upset when people I _care_ about lie to me."

"Ouch – you wound me!" She could picture him clutching his chest dramatically.

"I'm serious Josef. Mick has decided he doesn't want any more lies or secrets. He already made me promise. You've been friends too long; I don't want to see this damage it beyond repair. You need to talk to him. If you had nothing to do with it, make him believe you. If you did…

She heard a sigh over the phone. "Crap," he said, with feeling. "Yeah, okay, I get it. Talk to Mick."

"Thank you. Goodbye, _Joey_." She hung up, before his outraged sputtering at the nickname could form into words.

Mick had said he lives to annoy Josef… but really, nobody could hold a candle to Beth in that department.

End Act II

Act III: Confessions

_A person who's lived several hundred years has a lot of secrets. _

_You get really good at guarding them, until its second nature. The mere suggestion that you should reveal any of them is met with an instinctive drive to protect. Your very existence is a secret, you become it. To have someone SEE you, KNOW you, is as terrifying as fleeing in the dark with a torch bearing mob on your heels._

_Torch bearing mob – human blond reporter. Who knew they'd have something in common?_

XXX

Of the people Josef had assembled in Mick's apartment, only Aldo was old enough to know what being a vampire was really like, back in the old days. In Europe, where it all began. These young, American vampires just didn't have a clue. It was kind of refreshing, and it's what had sent Josef to the U.S and kept him here all these years. He had no desire to return to his homeland, or any of Europe for anything more than a visit, if he could help it. All that pomp and ceremony, the bloodlines and old world attitudes just weren't his style. American vampires were a product of their country – so arrogant and egocentric, believing they were the center of the universe and happily oblivious to the traditions that European vampires deemed important enough to live and die for. Give them a pint of AB from the morgue, carefully concealed in a travel mug from Starbucks, and an IPOD with "My Immortal" on it and undead life was good.

Josef Konstantin loved America.

Right now though, he was considering re-thinking his position, as the others sat around waiting for him to tell them why he'd called them all there. Well, some of them already knew… It had been an unpleasant week.

"Okay," he said, throwing a glare in Beth's direction just on principle. She lobbed it back, but spoiled it with the impish grin that followed. He pretended to ignore. "Let's get this show on the road. Why are we all here? We can thank Mick for that." Dutifully, all eyes turned to the dark haired vampire who sat next to his human fiancée, eyebrow raised in question.

Josef paused, trying to make it look like he was doing it for dramatic effect, a carefully orchestrated performance, when in reality he had no idea how to do this. It wasn't a play in his repertoire. Hell, it wasn't even a play, it was real. Josef didn't _do_ real very often, or very well.

"Seems our Mick has fallen in love again, this time with a nasty little bitch called truth. To support his new passion, I've decided to share one of my secrets with you. I hope you appreciate this, Mick."

Josef went over to the computer he'd set up on the table, and keyed something in. When he stepped away from the screen, they could see it was obviously a shot from a webcam, trained on a bedroom. In the bed there was a beautiful red headed woman. She looked asleep, but for the IV in her arm.

After they'd had a moment to process the sight, Josef spoke, in a voice very much unlike his usual sardonic bite. His voice was soft, with a touch of pain. "Her name is Sarah. I met her on the subway in New York in the 50's. She asked me for a light, and, well, I hate to use an overused cliché, but it was love at first sight. On both sides." He paused to let that sink in. "We were together for a year. I never intended to reveal the truth about me to her – but it turns out she figured it out for herself. Instead of being repulsed, terrified, as I expected, she surprised me by not only accepting – but wanting me to turn her. So we could be together… forever."

He risked a glance a Mick, who sat in stunned silence, his mouth slightly open, as if pigs with wings had just come flying formation into the room.

"I almost started believing that's why I'd lived all these years. So I could meet her," he snorted in derision at the foolish notion he'd entertained.

"What happened to her?" Beth breathed quietly.

"I tried to turn her. Something went wrong, and she never woke up. She's been like this ever since."

Beth raised a hand, as if she wanted to comfort him with a touch, but remained on the couch.

Josef crossed to the computer and cut the connection quickly. That part was over. "No one on earth knows about Sarah – except the people in this room," he said significantly. He recovered his unemotional persona and continued. "Mick thinks I lied to him. He thinks I knew all about Aldo, and Beth, and Margo too, and kept it from him. He'd be right, of course. Before I continue, I want you to know that I got Margaret's permission to tell this next part of the story. Sometimes, people want their secrets kept, and it's then that they appreciate a friend who will lie for them."

Mick winced at the implied dig, accepting it as his due. Margaret nodded for Josef to continue.

"Obviously I did know that Aldo was still with us and at his request, I kept this information to myself for over twenty years. Then, a short time ago I heard about Margaret being in the hospice, dying. By the way, if you ever wonder if that insurance check you received every month was fraud, rest assured there never was an insurance pay off. Aldo arranged with me to make sure that both of you were taken care of, financially," he told the Turner women, whose eyes widened at the news of their silent benefactor.

"I told you about Sarah so you would understand _why_ I did what I did. I don't know… call me sentimental. I went to see Margaret. Maybe I wanted to give someone else a chance, to try to make up for what happened to Sarah in some way… I told her everything, about Aldo, and I gave her a choice." He looked at Margaret again. "She knew the risks, knew that I'd never tried to turn anyone else since then and it might not work."

"Like I said," she interjected, "I had nothing to lose. I was dying anyway. I had everything to gain."

Mick and Beth both gasped in surprise but it was Mick who spoke up. "You're Margaret's sire?!" he said stunned.

"I thought you'd figured that out already," Josef responded. "You're getting rusty, my friend. I've heard too much mortal sex kills the brain cells," he said with a lavacious wink at Beth.

"Josef turned me, and kept me with him until I was able to be independent," Margaret took up the story. "Then I started searching for Aldo."

"I only had an untraceable telephone number. Some leads that I'd never followed up on before."

"Why didn't you call him?" Mick asked.

"Hey, your wife, who was dying of cancer, is now a vampire and she's looking for you… not news you break over the phone. That number was only ever to be used for one reason – in the event Beth was in any trouble because of what she was."

"I asked him not to call Aldo," Margaret added. "I needed time to sort out my feelings… it's just something I needed to do on my own. To find him, see him in person."

"Then I lost touch with her for awhile," Josef admitted. "Here she was running all over Europe and I had no idea where she was. Then this stuff with Coraline started. I called Aldo, having no idea if she was with him, or not. I didn't even know whether he was coming back alone or if she'd be with him until I saw him."

"You didn't mention that little fact to me either," Aldo told him in a stern voice, but clearly not considering it a friendship straining event.

"I was freaking out by then!" Josef admitted in a rare moment of honesty. "I'd lost my fledgling somewhere in Europe, Mick was self destructing over Beth and Coraline, who was back with a plan… Discretion is the better part of valor, you know. I sat tight, had people looking for Margaret, and was waiting to see how it played out before I said anything."

"How _did_ you lose touch with Josef?" Mick asked Margo.

"I'll tell you that story…sometime. It's a long story. The important thing is that I'm back now, and we're all together again."

"Just another happy ending for the vampire nation," Josef quipped. It hadn't been quite like getting wisdom fangs pulled, but he was glad it was over.

Mick stood, going over to where Josef stood. He held out his hand. "I'm sorry," he told him sincerely. "And thank you for doing this for me, for telling us about everything… about Sarah."

"You're not gonna, like, hug me or anything, are you?" he asked suspiciously, eyeing the hand before him.

"Don't worry, your virtue is safe," Mick smirked.

Josef put out his own hand for the clasp – and was immediately pulled into a bear hug by his friend.

"You lied to me!" he exclaimed as he pulled away a few moments later, smoothing down his ruffled feathers.

The others couldn't help laughing.

XXX

Later, after a pleasant afternoon of company was coming to a close, Mick and Josef sat enjoying a last drink, while the Turners continued with all the catching up they had to do.

"You do know it's inevitable, don't you?" Josef said, gesturing toward Beth with his glass. "Her father is a vampire, her mother is a vampire, her husband-to be is one, she's half vampire. She's got plenty of choices if she wants to be turned. It's her decision to make, and yours to decide if you're gonna be the one to do it."

Mick threw back his head and laughed – earned a nonplussed look from his confused friend. It was the last reaction he'd expected.

"You've seen the wedding ring," Mick said instead of answering.

"Yeah, kinda cheap if you ask me, just three diamonds—"

"Do you know what the symbolism of three diamonds is?" he asked.

"Enlighten me."

"The past: Our past together when I saved her as a child. The present: Us now, our marriage – and the future." The way he gave emphasis on _future_ left no doubt what he meant.

It was Josef's turn to gape at his friend, the reluctant vampire who'd sworn he'd never turn his worst enemy who now seemed to be laughing joyfully about turning Beth. "When did this happen?!" he demanded.

Mick looked away for just a second. "Like you said," he answered after a minute, "It was inevitable."

End Act III

Act IV: Being Real

Beth watched the man on the roof for a few moments. Of course he knew she was there, but his stance didn't change, he continued looking out over the city as if unaffected by her presence.

"I had a feeling I'd find you here," she said quietly, stepping forward to stand next to him.

"Mick says you hear voices, are you psychic too?" Josef asked her, not turning from the view that seemed to hold some fascination for vampires. She wondered what they could see that the rest of the world couldn't. What secrets did the night give up only to them?

"Maybe I know my vampires," she said back, sliding an arm through his.

"_Your_ vampires?" he quirked a brow at her, after glancing down pointedly at her arm.

"That was very nice, what you did for Mick tonight."

"Don't make a big deal out of it," he responded in a rough voice.

"Why not?" she asked curiously. "It was a big deal."

He tried to shrug; it was halfhearted at best. Not good to speak of secrets around her, it was her job to unearth them and she was good at it.

"You still miss her very much."

He sighed. "Leading the suspect, not nice Nora." It was a bit too much suddenly, having Mick's human standing there talking to him about his. His. What a laugh. He should have left her alone. Yet things had worked out for Mick and Beth, hadn't they? He prayed that it would in the end, but couldn't quite figure out why it hadn't for him and Sarah. Why?

"Do you know what struck me?" she continued, unimpressed by his trying to put her off. "You said that you'd wondered if that's why you lived all this time, so you could meet her."

He tried to shrug out of the arm but she just held tighter. "Obviously I was wrong about that." Josef had a healthy self-love, unlike Mick, but in this rare moment he hated himself for the weakness straining his voice.

"It occurs to me that if not for you meeting Sarah, and what happened, you might never have turned my mother. We might not all be here like this now. Maybe I owe you my family. I'm so sorry about what happened to her, but I'm so grateful that something good could come out of the pain, and I hope that brings you some peace, too."

He turned to her, eyes glittering with unshed tears. "Damn you, Nora." Then, without quite being sure of how it had happened, their arms were around each other, and he was holding on tightly.

"Sarah was very lucky to have you. And I have a feeling if she wakes up tomorrow, she'll say it was all worth it, for that one beautiful year you had together."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because that's how I'd feel. If I were her."

"If that's what had happened with you and Mick," he clarified.

She leaned back far enough from the embrace to smile up at him, and shook her head. "No. If I were _her_." Her hand cupped his face, and she placed a light kiss on his cheek.

The wounded little boy who held onto her so tightly was a far cry from the tough, unemotional, hedonist called Josef Kostan. She had been granted a rare glimpse of the real man underneath. "Thank you," she 

whispered to him. Not sure if it was for what he'd done for her and her family, or for the gift of himself he had given.

Josef finally pulled away, trying to pretend the last few moments hadn't happened. Back to business as usual. "Yeah. Well." He cleared his throat. "It does."

"Does what?"

"Help."

They shared one more moment of silence together, before Beth left him and went back downstairs. Acknowledging without words, the pain he carried inside of him and the small measure of recompense gained in sharing vicariously in the happiness of his friends. Somewhere deep inside lived the real Josef. Whoever he was, almost a distant memory to the man who stood there today. A Josef who had friends. And they didn't just love him for his money. But for who he was.

Maybe being real wasn't so bad after all.

XXX

_Sometimes you don't know what to say, or how to say it. You struggle and worry that it'll come out all wrong. And then, in one moment of inspiration, you find the words…_

"The first time she was in my arms again, it felt like she was _meant_ to be there." Mick put all the feeling he could into his face and words. "It was like coming home."

"When was that?" Margaret asked him, as they stood in the kitchen together.

"After I'd saved her life again." At Margo's surprised and concerned expression, he explained. "She was working on a story about a ritualistic murder, and went undercover. The psycho drugged her and forced her into his car. I knew something was wrong, so I went looking for her."

"How did you know?" she continued, trying to understand.

He shrugged a little helplessly. "I'm not sure. I just know we've always had this…connection. I can't explain it. All I know is that it kept growing until there was no denying it."

"Did you try?"

He grinned, and nodded. "You must know when your daughter wants something, she gets it."

"I guess I should know about _connections_," she said, fingering her wedding ring.

"I never wanted to be a vampire; I was turned without my consent. I always hated what I was. Beth is the reason I still exist. She saved my life as surely as I saved hers."

Margaret glanced into the other room. "After today I realize more than ever the depth of love and fierce loyalty of vampires. In this day and age of human quickie divorces, I see a level of commitment that awes me."

Mick's was stunned at her observations, so unlike what he'd believed for too long. Vampires were monsters, creatures of the night that were driven only by a need to prey upon humans for blood. A compulsion that made relationships with them risky at best, only to be undertaken with the strongest of self control employed. He'd lived like that for over five decades, never realizing how wrong he might be. Now, with Beth, he was discovering a whole new world. Even his urge to feed from her was diminishing. He'd never questioned why, too superstitious to examine the gift very closely. Now… he wondered.

"I used to think… we couldn't love," he admitted to her something he'd never told another soul before. "Weren't capable of it."

"Not capable of it?!" Margo exclaimed. "Aldo loves me as much today as he did the day we married, no matter how many years we were apart. Josef has taken care of his lost love for over fifty years, and grieves for her every day. And I can see how you feel about Beth written all over you. I couldn't…" she paused, and gazed at him with sincerity. "I couldn't want for a better husband for my little girl."

Smiling in relief and gratitude, Mick hugged his soon to be mother-in-law.

_Some animals mate for life, others go from conquest to conquest. Scientists have even speculated that humans weren't meant to be in the former category. Maybe it's true; the divorce rate sure seems to support the theory. Vampires are a different creature from humans; maybe, just maybe in the natural world it's the vampires who benefit from mating for life and the humans who can't control their compulsions to spread their seed as far as possible._

_Works for me._

End Act IV

Act V: Par-tay!

_Bachelor party for Mick? Nothing more boring that trying to throw a rowdy bachelor party for Mick St. John, and watch him ignore the freshie strippers, refuse the blood cocktails, and sit in the corner all night brooding and missing Beth. Not my idea of a good time. So when I heard Beth was getting a bachelorette party… An idea was born. Let's just say Mick didn't have a bachelor party. We crashed his hers._

XXX

It wasn't certain whether Beth was dragged to the Chippendale show by her friends Marissa, Mo and Sharon, or whether she just wanted it to look that way. Nevertheless, she found herself front row with a handful of singles, watching a stage full of sexy men take off their clothes to a loud, driving beat.

Tina Turner's "You Better Be Good To Me" pounded out of the sound system, as one of the guys strutted to the edge of the stage and mouthed "you better be good to me" to the audience while whipping off his pants with a flick of his wrist.

"Come to mamma!" Maureen called, gleefully stuffing a dollar into the guy's black skimpy underwear.

Beth couldn't help but laugh at the antics of her friends. "How pathetic is it that I'm sitting here thinking, none of these guys is as sexy as Mick?!" she yelled into Marissa's ear.

"Pathetic, no. True, sadly for the rest of us, yes."

Beth smiled smugly, and decided to picture Mick on the stage.

"So, is he?"

"What?" Beth said, distracted.

"_Good_?"

"Marissa!" she exclaimed while the other two giggled. "Well, I'm watching a stage full of hunky guys who are stripping off all their clothes and I'd rather look at Mick, dressed. What does _that_ tell you," she said smugly.

"You had to ask," Sharon said, shaking her head.

Abruptly the song stopped and the men disappeared from the stage. The lights dimmed. The music went into Turner's "Simply the Best." Beth looked around puzzled, to see a huge cake being wheeled into the room.

"Oh, you didn't?!" she told her grinning friends. "Tell me you didn't."

"Life's tough, suck it up," her friend and boss told her. Behind the unknowing human's backs, Sharon wiggled her eyebrows at Beth as the phrasing. When you're dating a vampire, the word _suck_ takes on a whole new wealth of meaning.

_You're simply the best, better than all the rest. Better than anyone, anyone I ever met. I'm stuck on your heart; I hang on every word you say. Tear us apart, baby I would rather be dead. Oh you're the best…_

The cake stopped in front of Beth. The ubiquitous stripper music started…

And Mick St. John popped out of the cake, wearing nothing but red silk bikini briefs.

Beth's scream of astonishment rattled the rafters. It was official: the flying pigs _had_ arrived.

"Oh. My. God." Marissa breathed, as Mo fanned herself with the handful of bills, swaying as if she felt faint. Sharon manually forced her mouth closed, wiping some drool off her blouse.

"Surprise!" Josef called out as he came into the room with the other guys.

Deliriously happy, Beth threw her arms around her man, simultaneously fending off the arm of her boss, who was trying to reach Mick with one of her singles.

"And I didn't bring my camera!" Marissa lamented.

"No problem, I hired a photog," Josef told them.

"You what??" Mick screeched, mortified. When Josef threw a pair of pants and shirt to him, he hastily dressed, glancing around the club for the camera.

"That was a wonderful surprise!" Beth told him, kissing him soundly. "Thank you!"

"It was my idea, he just went along," Josef pointed out peevishly.

She turned and gave Josef a big hug and kiss. "Thank you! And put me down for a poster, an 8X10, and one wallet size," she added in an aside.

"Hey! Mick yelled.

"How the hell did you ever get him to do that?!" Beth asked Josef.

"He was a surprisingly good sport about it. I think our Mick's really loosening up. "

"He's right here," Mick told them.

"We're a good influence on him," Josef winked at her, ignoring him.

"Coming from you, that's very scary," Mick said.

"Okay, gang, let's par-tay!"

After that the party went into full swing, vamps and humans dancing, drinking, and enjoying the night together. Josef had blocked off a special room in the back, for freshies – or anyone else who might feel the need for a few moments of privacy with a vamp.

Mick pulled Beth onto the dance floor during Tina Turner's sensuous version of "Whole Lotta Love."

"So," he began after a few moments, shit eating grin on his handsome face. "I'm sexier than a stage full of naked Chippendale dancers, huh?"

Beth covered her eyes with one hand, embarrassed that he'd overheard. "Oh god. It's a good thing you don't wear hats – we wouldn't be able to find one big enough for you at this point."

"Hey, a man likes to know he's appreciated by his woman." He pulled their lower bodies together, moving to the beat of the music.

Beth couldn't think of any smart comeback to that, so she slid her hands into his back pockets, letting the beat of the music and Mick's closeness wash over her.

As they danced (if you could call it that), he began singing into her ear along with the song. "I been learnin', baby, I been burning, all these good times, baby, I've been yearning. Oh way down inside honey, you know you need it. I'm gonna give you my love… I'm gonna give you my love… Oh, want a whole lotta love, I want a whole lotta love…"

"Maybe," she whispered in a seductive voice. "If you put on a _special_ show for me, later…"

It was a bachelor party neither would ever forget.

End Act V

Act VI: Today Is The First Day…

_Psychologists say that when a child grows up in an abusive household, they're unable to imagine life any other way, it is normal to them. I don't think it's exclusive to the young. I'm an 86 year old vampire who has come to view pain, loneliness, tragedy, and unhappiness as the normal state of undead life. Happiness is an alien emotion, to be viewed with the utmost suspicion. It feels weird, unreal. Like I'm in some play and someone else is in the leading role. This wonderful life CAN'T be mine. I don't know quite what to do with it. I was taught to be miserable; I guess I have to learn how to be happy. Old habits die hard._

"I feel sick."

"You can't get sick, you're a vampire," Josef told him mildly. "Here, have some of this." He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gold flask. Mick looked at him quizzically. "Hey, I've heard the best man flask is a tradition at human weddings."

Mick grabbed it and took a slug. "Tradition, huh?"

"Well, maybe without the blood. Are you really that nervous?" Mick didn't answer, but his expression spoke volumes. It wasn't that surprising, Josef reflected. His last wedding had gone disastrously wrong, and scarred him for life. Had to be bringing up bad memories along with the rest.

"I'm glad you're here," Mick said sincerely.

"Don't get mushy on me," Josef warned, but slung a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Beth's not Coraline." _What an understatement._

Mick smiled. "I know. I'm not worried, I'm just terrified. This 'being happy' thing is scary stuff."

"You're unique among vamps and men, my friend. Don't change. Life would be so much more boring."

"The way my life's been the past several months, I'd love boring. I welcome boring. Boring is my fondest wish."

Instead of replying, Josef started humming "The Impossible Dream."

"Thanks. You really know how to comfort a guy."

"You're welcome. Ready to do this thing?"

"I've been ready for this moment for 23 years."

"Dude, you're weird too, but I love ya."

"Channeling your surfer-dude days again?" Mick asked.

"You promised not to tell anyone about that."

"Give me the negatives and your reputation is safe." There was, of course, no actual negatives, just digital files on a flash drive, but Mick slipped into the old terminology without thinking. Nevertheless, the meaning was clear.

"With you and Beth around it's doomed anyway. No deal. Now, c'mon – let's get you married."

XXX

The wedding march started up, and Mick took a deep, fortifying breath. He took a long look around the church. As much as he was a nervous wreck, he was savoring every moment to remember for eternity. It was early evening, just after dark, and the newly built Church of Sanctuary (courtesy of a generous, tax deductable donation from the illustrious hedge fund trader, Josef Konstan) was lit with dozens of candles.

The wedding party was a small, intimate gathering of family and friends. Beth's mother sat in the front, already crying her eyes out. Beth already had to give up so much… there were many relatives and friends she couldn't invite. But then Mick couldn't blame himself for that, it was her dead parents being in attendance that would cause a bit of a stir in the family. He knew she liked it just the way it was. The ones that really mattered were there. For Beth, that in itself was a miracle.

Dan Autun and his girlfriend "Sharona" sat in the back, tightly holding hands. Maureen, Marissa, and Steve from Buzzwire were also there, not having known Beth when her parents were "alive". Carl was there too. And from the "vampire side of the family" Ryder and poker buddies Tim and Dan were in attendance. Mick wasn't quite sure if the women with them were girlfriends or freshies, but decided he didn't want to know.

And then the moment was there. Beth appeared, walking down the aisle with her father. She was a vision in her mother's wedding dress. To Mick, she'd never looked more like an angel, all in white with the candlelight shining on her hair. Mick was so transfixed by the sight, he didn't even realize tears were running down his cheeks. Aldo, for his part, wore a smile that threatened to split his face. Even Josef, trying to project an air of amused tolerance, lost the effect when he looked at Mick and saw the moisture there. Almost everyone in attendance knew what a truly special day this was; there was hardly a dry eye in the house.

The music stopped and Beth was by his side.

_Where she was meant to be…_

Reverend Autun began the ceremony; part traditional and part personalized. "Dearly beloved, family and friends of Elizabeth and Michael, we are gathered here today to honor this joining of souls in holy matrimony. As I look upon this couple today, I can't help but be reminded of the words of Ruth 1:16:

'But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'"

"It's a blessing to be in the presence of a bond this strong, to celebrate with them as they take this step on their journey together. Mick and Beth have written their own vows, which they'll share with us now."

"Beth. I never thought," Mick had to pause and clear his throat of the emotion choking it. "I never believed a day like this would ever happen for me. You've saved my life and soul in more ways than you'll ever know. You're my strength and my beauty in this life; you're all that's good about me. This moment is perfect because I share it with you."

"Mick. When I found my guardian angel, I also found the love of my life, my soulmate. My destiny. I love your light, and your darkness. When I found you I found my own personal perfection. No matter what the future brings, you'll always be my guardian angel."

"Do you promise to love and honor each other, for better or worse, for all of eternity?"

"I do," Mick vowed.

"I do," Beth echoed.

"The rings, please."

While Beth practically snatched his from the best man, Mick's hands were shaking so badly he could barely take the ring from Josef.

"Repeat after me: with this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," the couple repeated in unison, as they put the rings on each other's fingers.

"Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What God hath joined together, let no man tear asunder. (Matthew 19:6). May you go into your new life together with God's blessings upon you."

"So by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mick, you may kiss your bride."

Beth reached up to wipe the tears off Mick's face. Amid the crowd's cheers, he couldn't resist bending her backwards for a dramatic, passionate kiss. The applause, cat calls, and whistles that followed were embarrassing, but it didn't dim his huge grin.

"Wise guys," Mick grumbled as he led his wife up the aisle, suffering the rain of rice.

"I can't believe we're finally married!" Beth said, and Mick knew he'd never forget the look of absolute joy on her face if he lived to be a thousand.

"Thank you, God," Mick said, and he meant it.

End Act VI

Act VII: And We Danced

_You are the love of my life  
And I'm so glad you found me  
You are the love of my life  
Baby put your arms around me  
I guess this is how it feels  
When you finally find something real  
My angel in the night  
You are my love  
The love of my life_

The reception was being held in the Friendship Hall adjoining the chapel. The discrete waiters from Josef's staff kept the vamp guests supplied with refreshments as well as passing out appetizers and champagne to the humans. It was all very simple but elegant.

As the first song started playing, the lights dimmed and everyone gathered around to watch the couple in their first dance. They had chosen Jim Brickman's "Love of my Life," as "their song."

_I look in your eyes  
I'm lost inside your kiss  
I think if I'd never met you  
About all the things I'd miss_

"Hey, Ms. St. John," Mick greeted as her took her into his arms and began dancing.

"Hey Mr. St. John," she replied in a whisper.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in eighty-six years. Today, I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life – even all the years before I became a vamp."

Unable to speak, she rested her head on his shoulder and just soaked up his presence.

XXX

The father of the bride had the second dance with his daughter. They smiled at each other in quiet gratitude for fences mended.

"This is the proudest day of my life. You've grown up so beautiful."

Beth smiled. "I'm glad you're here." Words of course being so inadequate to describe it, but had to suffice.

"I'm not going away again, sweetheart. I've got my family back, and _nothing_ will ever take them away from me again." It was a vow, it was a threat. It was a promise.

Beth hugged him.

XXX

_I thank you for sharing your life with me, for giving me a reason to believe_

_for loving me for who I am…_

_We didn't need fortune, didn't need fame __just a little shelter from the rain, your hand to hold onto,_

_when times got tough you pulled me through_

_We didn't need a castle made of stone, just you there as I grow old, __your heart to hold onto._

_All I ever needed was you_

_All I Ever Needed, **Bret Michaels**_

The older couple on the dance floor shared that soul deep contentment that parents everywhere feel at the wedding of their daughter to a wonderful man, even if their family _was_ unique in so many ways.

"I have a lot of years to make up for," Aldo told his wife and they glided around the room, tears glistening in his eyes.

"We're here together now, that's all that matters." This was a celebration of love, no place for sadness and regrets.

"No," he denied, not letting himself off the hook. "But it's a start."

"I think, in the scheme of hundreds of years, a couple of decades… well, it takes on a whole new perspective, you know?"

"Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"You _do_ have a lot of years to make up for," she told him with a teasing grin.

"I'm not going to lose you this time," he vowed. "Will you marry me again?" He'd been thinking about a renewal of their vows for awhile now, but wanted to wait until Beth had her special day.

The smile that lit Margo's face reminded him of the young bride he knew so long ago. "Yes."

XXX

"So, Nora, you finally made an honest man of him," Josef quipped as he twirled Beth around the floor.

Beth just smiled, no snappy comeback that he would have expected from her. In a departure from her usual verbose style, today, she found it difficult to talk. She would have preferred to remain totally silent for the rest of the evening, at least until their plane left for Alaska in a few hours. Unfortunately, she did have to initiate a conversation, but only because she'd promised Mick she would help him hatch his nefarious revenge plan…

XXX

As the people moved around the dance floor, weaving in and out between couples and cutting in, enjoying the evening, Mick suddenly found his arms full of a smirking Josef Konstantin.

They scuffled over who would lead, Mick giving his friend an exasperated look. "Are you drunk?"

"Beth dared me. You know I can't walk away from a dare."

"That's gonna get you in trouble one of these days," Mick warned. He struggled to get Josef into a dip, but the older vamp was surprisingly strong for someone who whined about something as simple as jumping onto a roof and preferred to hire muscle like Mick to do his strong-arm work.

"That's rich – an 86 year old baby such as yourself giving _me_ advice."

"Baby, huh?" Mick asked, just barely averting his own descent into a dip. He nodded toward the far corner, where Steve stood, taking photos for the wedding album. Camera lens currently pointed straight at them. "You give me _your_ flash drive, I'll give you mine." He grinned in triumph.

"You set me up!"

Mick laughed outright, then, catching Josef off guard, spun them and lowered him into a dip.

"Damn – you're learning!" Josef exclaimed, impressed. "But remember who the master is," he reminded when upright once again. "Now we're just even, each having something on the other. And don't forget how long I've been alive," he added cryptically. Josef punctuated his words by grabbing Mick's face in both hands, and placing a big kiss on his startled lips.

"Stalemate," he told his deflated friend, then left to find a freshie.

"Well, that didn't work out well," Mick muttered as he joined his wife again.

"Maybe not for _you_," she retorted, tongue darting out to wet her lips as she mentally added a couple more prints to her growing list.

Mick gaped at her for a moment, then shook his head in defeat. "I think I'm definitely outclassed here."

XXX

Josef looked around the room a bit like a king surveying his kingdom, lifting his glass of champagne high. "As the best man, I have the honor of making the toast. I almost didn't do it – couldn't think of anything to say."

"Josef Kostan without something to say?" Mick yelled out, "I don't believe it!"

"Sad, but true," he answered amidst the laughter, then continued. "At first I wasn't so sure I was happy about this marriage," he admitted. "I was afraid maybe I was going to lose my best friend -- things would be _different_." He looked at Beth, who stood to his left. "Turns out I actually got my friend _back_." He and Beth smiled at each other; Josef wearing a smile more genuine than any who knew him had ever seen. "See, he's been a pretty morose bastard for a lot of years now. Until she showed him how to live again. Made him _want_ to live again. So to Beth – and the lucky idiot who finally got the girl."

During the laughter and glass clinking that followed, the three of them traded gazes, knowing they'd formed a bond that would last forever, no matter what adventures or challenges lay ahead.

XXX

_I can be your hero, baby; _

_I can kiss away the pain_

_I will stand by you forever_

_You can take my breath away… __Hero, by **Enrique Iglesias**_

The wedding cake was supposed to be the final offering of the evening before the newlyweds left. Mick and Beth stood by the table to do the traditional cutting and sharing. Beth's piece was lovingly fed to her by her devoted husband. Mick's was playfully shoved into his face to cover the fact that he wouldn't be eating it. Laughing, he impulsively kissed the icing off her face.

_Why is there vanilla in a wedding cake?_ Was the first, odd thought to come into his head before he was distracted by seeing an old familiar face in the crowd.

"That can't be…" He looked at Beth in amazement; she was grinning at him knowingly, like she'd just eaten that proverbial canary instead of cake. He practically flew across the room to where the woman was standing, huge grin on her face.

"It can't be!" he exclaimed when he was standing in front of her. "Cat? Cat Moon?!"

"Micky Johns. Long time no see." She also was looking pretty pleased with herself.

"I don't believe it!" Mick said, hugging her. Cat hadn't been a vampire when she was the road manager for his band, The Nighttrollers . She clearly was now, however. He looked the question at her.

Cat shrugged. "Yeah, when I started getting a bit long in the tooth, I decided to take the plunge. Sorry I'm late for the wedding, but my plane was delayed. I've been managing a band over in Amsterdam for the last few years."

"Beth was behind this, wasn't she?"

Cat nodded. "I couldn't miss this amazing day – Micky's _wedding_. Sorry I haven't been in touch."

"You'd better be," he told her, mock sternly. Even though it was probably his fault, he'd had a habit of severing old ties when it became too emotionally uncomfortable to keep the memories they brought with them. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."

"Lemme go grab a little liquid sustenance first, I haven't _eaten_ since before the flight."

As she wandered off in search of a waiter, Mick wandered back to his bride, pointing a finger at her in playful accusation.

"Surprise!"

"Surprise," Mick echoed back to her, redirecting his finger in the other direction as he caught a figure shifting nervously over behind a potted palm.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Josh…" she breathed.

"This one's yours – and believe me, I had _nothing_ to do with it," he told her, moving off in search of a waiter himself.

After much debating and soul searching, Beth had sent Josh a wedding invitation. She'd wondered if it was in bad taste, but genuinely wanted to try and be friends. He'd obviously kept out of sight; she'd figured he hadn't shown.

The music had started up again after the break, as she walked over to her former boyfriend. "Chain of Fools." She heard Josef saying something about it being "their" song (who's she wasn't sure), and leading the women in the room into an impromptu dance ala John Travolta in "Michael." Large majority of them being his Willing Freshies. _Some angel_, she thought to herself, but couldn't deny his attraction with the ladies was similar.

"Definitely drunk." She shook her head – then wondered if she should be angry, jealous, or just be glad her man was finally really loosening up and having a good time again when she saw _Mick_ joining in… _Hmm… he said he didn't care if I invited Josh. He didn't seem jealous when he much as told me to go talk to him. But the actions they speak otherwise…_ But really. The boys playing together was the cutest thing in the world. She found she couldn't be mad. As long as he kept his hands to himself, no one would get hurt.

She met Josh's eyes as he shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Hello Josh."

"Hi Beth," he said, sounding about fourteen.

"I didn't think you'd come.

He took a deep breath. "Look, this is definitely awkward."

"Not to me," she reassured, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze. "I'm glad you did. I know we haven't had a chance to talk things out like we should have. Life's been so crazy lately…"

"SOP, huh?"

"Yeah," she had to admit. "Crazy is still normal."

"And you like it that way." It was both question and statement. She nodded. "I'll be honest. I'm here mainly because I had doubts. I was worried about you. That's why I came."

"And did it put your mind to rest?"

He nodded his head almost reluctantly. "After watching the two of you get married… I can't deny it. A blind man would be able to see the – love," he stumbled over the word, "between you two. I guess I knew for a long time, maybe it was pride that kept me from admitting it."

She gazed at him sadly. "I meant what I said back at the PD. But I never cheated on you. Things were…complicated."

"Maybe we can have that long talk, when you get back. I heard you're going to, _Alaska_?" he said incredulously.

Beth shrugged. "I've always wanted to see the northern lights."

The awkwardness descended upon them again, words having dried up.

"Well, thanks for coming," Beth told him.

Josh nodded. "I definitely think we should talk. There are some things I need to discuss with you, too."

"We will," she promised.

"I've only ever been trying to look out for you," he said earnestly, as if it was important to him that she know this.

"I know. I'll call you when we get home."

An awkward hug later, he walked out the door and she returned to her party.

XXX

_Looks like we made it; look how far we've come, my baby_

_We might've took the long way; we knew we'd get there someday_

_They said, I'll bet they'll never make it_

_Just look at us holding on, we're still together, still going strong_

_You're still the one I run to, the one I belong to, you're still the one I want for life_

_You're still the one that I love, the only one I dream of_

_You're still the one I kiss goodnight…_

The new couple danced their last song of the night before leaving; "Still the One" by **Shania Twain**. It was the bane of wedding planners everywhere, as a popular choice that many felt was unfitting for a newly married couple. In Mick and Beth's situation of course, having known each other for over twenty years, it was perfect. Aldo and Margaret also joined them for a romantic dance to this one, gazing into each other's eyes and knowing it was their song, too.

Meanwhile and unbeknownst to the revelers, another surprise and uninvited guest watched from the shadows…

**The End**

**AN**: The sequel to HB, which is titled: Prophesy, is already in the works, and the first chapter should be up soon. It will delve more into the implications of what Beth is; new characters show up bringing complications with them that none of them could have ever imagined. More surprises, more twists and turns… more secrets revealed.


End file.
